According to the National Center For Education Statistics, almost 1.1 million children underwent home schooling in 2005 alone. That’s a lot of children. Once upon a time, homeschooling used to be a radical statement – something like a declaration of independence.

It was the right-wing Christians who advocated homeschooling in the 1980’s and legalized it in every State. But nowadays the average homeschooling pupil is not religiously motivated.

Later surveys show that parents are actually fed up with the public school system where much of the learning is superficial and compulsory. They are also concerned about the negative environment in school, ranging from drugs and abuse to negative peer pressure.

As a result, we have a surprising mixture of people who make up the homeschooling world of today. They cut across all religious creeds and all regional borders. Their chief goal is providing meaningful and productive learning through a method that strengthens the bond between the various members of the family.

All these families have one major thing in common – a long standing commitment to the sanctity of childhood. The children of these families are given a primary position. Many believe, and, I think, rightly so, that home schooling allows parents to bring up their children in a more natural and caring environment.

Public schools can make a child nervous, diffident and downright mean. Children who get their education at home are protected from these damaging, negative influences until they reach an age where they can withstand them.

Home-schooling draws the whole family into the almost religious task of teaching. Everyone is put to work. Both the parents together form a bond with the children. Any experience can be turned into an educational experience. Both the parents are aware of exactly what is going into their child’s education.

Parents also have a greater say over the kind of religious and moral values that the child is taught. Even watching a film together can become an educational experience. Trips to the libraries, zoos, museums and other places become educational as well as recreational.

A home-schooling family is primarily dependent on the income of one earning member. That means that often spending has to be curtailed and proper planning of expenditure is a must. This helps to bring the family members together and everybody becomes involved in the task of saving money.

Merely having a parent at home to supervise, to nurture and to care for the children brings with it a great deal of love and caring. Even the husband takes part and there is just no room for complacency.

Yes OK, problems still do sometimes occur, and there will be many misgivings in your mind, but when you know that your kids can always rely on you, and your kids know it too, then homeschooling becomes a very rewarding experience.