Homeschool or Pre-school: Which Works for You and Your Child?

Every homeschooling parent will tell you homeschooling is the way to go because you get to spend the entire day with your child and you know that your little one is learning in a safe, nurturing environment.

And then there are parents who totally embrace the pre-school approach because exposing your child to a social setting will help him develop empathy, a sense of belonging and teamwork.

Pre-school is currently the default choice for most parents, although, increasingly, many are also starting to wonder if they should go up the path less travelled.

So how do you know which works for you and your child? Should you choose homeschool or pre-school? Here are some factors to consider before you decide ­

Your Child’s Personality

Whether homeschooling will be successful depends a great deal on your child’s personality.

If your child is naturally bubbly and outgoing, homeschooling would be an excellent option. You will be there to encourage your child, but at the same time you are also there to rein her in when your child gets overzealous or excessively boisterous. Children are easily influenced by other children around them. If you are concerned about behaviour, homeschooling may be a better choice as it gives you greater control over the social contacts your child makes.

If your child tends to shy away from other children and adults, a pre-school environment would help immensely. Group activities and shared routines can draw even the timid ones into the group, giving your child plenty of opportunities to develop her social skills. Attending those  few years of pre-school will prepare your child for the next big milestone – primary school.

Your Personality

And then, of course, there is your personality, for you are the other big player in the homeschooling venture. Whether or not the homeschooling option is viable depends as much on your personality as well as your child’s.

Homeschooling essentially means being with your child 24/7, minus perhaps a few hours a week when he goes for swimming or music lessons. You are the teacher and the playmate. This is wonderful for parent-­child bonding, but not everyone enjoys staying home with a toddler for company all day long as it can get lonesome.

Connecting with other homeschooling families and arranging playdates can also be a challenge. While there are many homeschooling communities online, real families in the same neighborhood will be much harder to come by, especially in Singapore where only about 50 children opt for homeschooling each year, instead of entering the mainstream education system.

So, if you love your job and enjoy lunching with colleagues and chatting in the pantry, you will need to rethink before quitting your job to homeschool your child as it will be a huge sacrifice.

Check Your Finances

Homeschooling is not an expensive option as there are lots of free online resources that you can use without paying a cent or at a very low cost.

If you are already a stay-­at-­home parent, homeschooling is financially attractive as it would mean considerable savings on school fees, especially if your target pre-schools are all at the high end of the scale. However, if you have been enjoying the luxury of being a dual-­income family, you should do your sums and understand exactly how losing an income source is going to affect your lifestyle before taking the plunge.

Homeschooling is not difficult, especially at the pre-school age. But it is not as simple as just printing worksheets off the Internet. It requires commitment and discipline on your part because you are now the teacher and you need to plan the curriculum. You need to decide on how and what you want your child to learn. This, of course, means that your child has the freedom to learn and grow according to his abilities, and doesn’t have to be squeezed into a one-­size-­fits-­all education model.

If you feel that pre-school is the best option, then the next step would be to find the right preschool; an enormous task requiring legwork and careful considerations of various factors. But once you have found the right place, all the hard work will pay for itself. P.S. Need help in looking for the right preschools for your child? Let our preschool search portal help you! Go now!