Many people, especially those who have not had personal experience with homeschooling, focus on the academic aspects of homeschooling.  Though, many homeschoolers estimate the ways homeschooling strengthens families even more than the learning opportunities.
This is not a new idea, summer is a good time to pause and contemplate the idea that by strengthening our families, we are benefiting our children, ourselves, and our society. These facts will review the importance of family and some of the challenges it faces, consider why and how homeschooling strengthens families, and explore ways we can take even greater advantage of the opportunities homeschooling offers.
Why Families’ Strengthening Is Important
It is not easy to overvalue the importance of families both in the lives of individuals and in a society, any society. Family is the basic unit of every known society and its most powerful institution. However, the families’ prevalence of does not mean that we can assume they will always play a strong and healthy role in a society. Actually, the role of families in our society is currently endangered.
One main threat is the increasing emphasis of money and material possessions. Think over what occurs when we make earning money the basic goal and building block in our society.
• People have a tendency to focus on a time 5, 10, 15, or more years in the future rather than on the time they have now, with their children and in the present. They are concerned about things like saving money for college and enrolling children in the best preschool so they can get into Harvard so they can get a prestigious job.
• Often both parents work outside the home for pay.
• Family members spend less time together.
• Families may be forced to move to follow the job instead of building community and maintaining social continuity.
• Some go into debt to live in the best school districts and pay for the clothes, cars, and other material possessions that are expected in that locality.
• Families expect children to leave at age 18 and celebrate when they start the cycle of:
- Debt from college and other sources that drives one to follow the job;
- Distance, both geographic and interpersonal;
- Focusing on career rather than family.
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