The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When It's Right for Your Family

by Lisa Rivero

Correcting misconceptions through profiles of diverse families, Rivero uncovers the changing and complex needs of children today. This book addresses the major questions parents are bound to have as they consider the homeschooling socialization, curriculum, special needs arrangements, resources, and more.

Genres: Education, Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens

234 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Lisa Rivero is a writer, speaker, and the publisher of Hidden Timber Books in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She enjoys writing fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Some of her publications include a food and wellness column, magazine and journal articles, four non-fiction books, a middle-grade historical novel, and a blog at Psychology Today.

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be every parent's must-read list when considering homeschooling. A brisk but thorough primer on homeschooling, the author does an excellent job of explaining what homeschool is (and isn't), why someone would choose to homeschool, and answers common arguments against it. What I liked best about this book is that the author sticks to the facts. For many people, the concept of homeschooling conjures up images of religious zealots or socially inept neglected children. The author counters these images with well-chosen interview excerpts from homeschooling families and homeschooled kids. The author also provides a number of other resources so parents can make a fully informed decision about whether homeschooling is both right for their child(ren) and family at-large.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does a great job in giving examples, ideas, resources to those interested in Homeschooling. While it resonated with me on many level, helped quell many misconceptions about Homeschooling, and was very encouraging in helping me realize I can do it, it also felt a bit like propaganda. Everyone had a great success story. I want to homeschool, so I am interested in all those successes, however, I would have benefited from a few failed stories as to why homeschooling might not work for everyone. What pit falls to avoid, etc. But I know the author has written other books on Homeschooling, so perhaps there is more on that later. If you are interested in homeschooling, this book is a great place to start and see if it's right for your family.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect book for general information and getting a feel for what homeschool could be like for us. As our family is now considering homeschool an option, I appreciate Rivero's style of walking through what it means to be a parent and what we want to get out of education. This perspective is just what I needed to get started. The overall flow of the book and suggested resources are invaluable. I now feel more confident in our decision to homeschool and how to get started.

[Elsha Haberle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book to start reading if you've ever given even a little consideration to homeschooling. I think it will help you to see some alternatives to traditional 'school' even if you decide homeschooling is not right for your family. I personally found myself energized and excited about the prospect and, of course, a bit unsure as well. I love that the author, who is a college professor and a homeschooling mom herself, tried to portray homeschooling as more of a way of family life rather than a way of schooling. My only criticism is that it seemed like it was geared towards families who were thinking of transitioning from school to homeschool, not necessarily to families who want to start homeschooling from the very beginning.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers some great school resource ideas and has the best discussion on the topic of socialization I have read in a homeschooling book. The author is a college professor (as is her spouse) and offers tips for homeschool/work balance. I also like her chapter/section on "Getting Started" at the end of the book. I thought she summarized many issues well regarding a child's needs and what parents can expect. I liked her friendly encouraging tone. All of that being said, this book is biased toward unschooling so if you are interested in a more structured approach you will want to look at additional resources as well.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good overview of the benefits of homeschooling. Different student groups are covered such as teenagers and special needs children. Also, a helpful list of resources and question and answers are in the back.
This is a great, comforting book for those parents looking to homeschool. It is very positive and leaves any parent considering homeschooling feeling like they can actually do it (and do it successfully!).

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very comprehensive guide on how to make the decision to homeschool. The author was really good about explaining some reasons homeschool might not work for everyone, while also being optimistic about why it can be such a great option. This really helped solidify my desire to homeschool and pointed me in the right direction to get more information and resources. A really great read for anyone trying to make the homeschooling decision!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about the questions of homeschooling. The only negative of this book is that it is a bit old in regards to the new schooling at home options and resources listed.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and helpful. It offered a list of other resources that I’m going to check out.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a positive and objective overview of homeschooling. It does not have much about the "how" of homeschooling, but it has plenty of "why" along with several families' stories (including the author's).

This is not a book intended to bash public schools. Instead, the author focuses on the joy and fun of being a homeschooling family. She truly presents the homeschooling option as an "option," and she lays out the benefits and drawbacks of deciding to homeschool. She also emphasizes that it is not an all-or-nothing choice, and that even a year of homeschooling will be a valuable experience for both parents and kids.

I loved her unbridled joy and optimism in talking about the homeschooling life.

[Joselle173 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another "Intro to Homeschooling" book. The author is careful to not sway the reader one way or the other. Topics she discusses are the history of education and HSing, hidden truths of HSing, what does learning look like at home, teens at home, and HSing special needs children. None of these is covered too in-depth, but keep in mind this is an "intro" book. I found the FAQ chapter to be lacking: questions were too generic and even silly (does the author really need to address "Can I homeschool an only child?")

[Afton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned sooo much from reading this book. Every page made me more and more excited about homeschooling, and I thought it was very informative and inspiring! The book addressed many of the major concerns and questions people have when they consider homeschooling, and it was so fun to realize where all of my current ideas about homeschooling came from and it was even more exciting to see the bigger picture, discover my own philosophy on education, and change my opinions. I'm so excited to learn more!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic info regarding homeschooling with some specialized chapters for homeschooling special needs kids and teens. While additional reading and research would definitely be necessary on any of the topics covered, Ms. Rivero provides a solid overview of the questions those looking at homeschooling need to ask and the information they need to gather. I appreciate that she includes "homework" for the reader (selected reading lists) in most chapters.

For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is geared toward people who have not quite decided to homeschool or, perhaps, are not a hundred percent convinced it's the route to take. It is a decent overview of homeschool, with a tad bit of emphasis on 'unschooling' or 'child-led learning.'
The author does a good job of listing many benefits about educating our children at home, while not trash talking public school, so it is a nice non-abrasive read. The only thing I wish the author would have added are a few of the drawbacks to homeschooling, just to paint a fully realistic picture of homeschooling.

[Ambra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite book on homeschooling that I've read. Really encouraging, lots of ideas, great overview of homeschooling started and where it's headed. I felt empowered that I really could homeschool and that my children would be blessed because of it. The author definitely leans towards "unschooling" or "child-directed learning", which wouldn't be my choice, but I did learn some things and see some benefits to that style of education. I really loved the chapter on questions to ask yourself to see if homeschooling is right for your family. Very insightful!

[Lynnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book. The author is not one of those pushy "you-need-to-homeschool" people. Nor is she a public school basher. She knows (and explains) that not everyone is meant to homeschool and there are circumstances when homeschool might not and should not work.
She I think I will need to check it out again and read it a bit slower. It was one of those non-renewable books and I didn't start it until a couple days before it was due.

[Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really easy to read, well thought out book on how to decide if homeschooling is a good choice for your family. It would have been the best book to read first in this quest I am on. It was still helpful even now, as I am not decided on the direction I am going to take. Though the more I read, the more I think I should do it. :)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book to anyone who has children in school ~ even though I will probably not purue homeschooling in the near future, this book helped me gain a better understanding and appreciation for education in general and what it means for our kids. You do not have to be a homeschool family to be involved in your children's education!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book for those who are just getting into homeschooling. For those like myself, who have been into the homeschooling world for a while, it was a bit repetitive. I did appreciate all the lists of resources and will be checking them for inspiration for myself. And it was quite enjoyable to read the personal accounts from other homeschoolers.

[Sanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about homeschooling. It mainly focuses on the academic/learning aspect of homeschooling, which is important, but I wish she had talked more about the other benefits of homeschooling as well. The author also addresses many misconceptions of homeschooling.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another "overview" book, yet I did enjoy this one and did not skim through it as much as the others. The author, a homeschooling mother, has a balanced perspective on the subject and gives a thoughtful, yet fair perspective into the homeschooling world.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good resource. Rivero writes passionately, and I appreciated that she falls in the middle of "school at home" and "unschooling", which is where it seems a lot of families fall from what I'm learning.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was great how she reminded parents that it was their job to educate our children not the state. No matter how we decide to do that we have to do what is best for our children and their education.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

great first read if considering homeschooling! leans to idea of 'unschool' but as one who will be working to transition a rising 4th grader, who is used to traditional school, lots of good points to consider... good to refer back to on those " why did i choose to hs" days...

[Melinda Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great introduction to homeschooling and its benefits. I've just started looking into it and have very little prior experience or knowledge on the subject. This book has been a good jumping off point for my research.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written by a college professor who homeschooled her son. Great for our family as my husband will soon have his Phd. We are considering homeschooling. This gives ideas from that realm of academic life.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book. As other reviewers have mentioned, it was slightly biased toward unschooling, but this was acknowledged by the author. Helped reinforce my reasons for wanting to homeschool while also being realistic about what the undertaking requires.

[Claire Hanschke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. Great read that honestly and intelligently looks at the OPTION of homeschooling. Lots of research mixed with anecdotal information on homeschooling. A well rounded and worthwhile read. Opened my eyes.

[Sidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think homeschooling s a great idea or a terrible one, this book will hopefully open your eyes to all the options.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

a pretty general overview; debunks some of the myths like socialization and "the genius" myth