Why I Wish I’d Never Been Home Schooled

If you’re thinking of home schooling your children, or if you’ve always wondered — it seems kinda weird… is it really a good idea?— then I want you to know: as someone who was home schooled from preschool to senior year, I wish I’d never been home schooled.

Do I stand before you as the victim of homeschool-horror? Did I suffer:

No Friends,

No Chance to Meet Boys,

No Summer Vacation,

No Social Life?

On the contrary. I loved being home schooled. I was immensely proud of it. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that homeschooling can be a mixed bag (I’m looking at you, creepy boy who grew up so isolated he can’t handle meeting anyone) (I’m also looking at you, girl who was so lethargically behind in school that she graduated a year late, just to catch up) but I had EVERYTHING most parents hope for when they home school their kids.

I was sweet. Innocent. I made eye-contact with adults and regularly got compliments at my parent’s parties for how well I discussed things with the “grown-ups.”

I had plenty of friends. I had vibrant social circles on a tri-weekly basis. My friends were kind. Accepting. Jovial. I was never bullied, not once. No matter how weirdly I dressed or how awkwardly I handled life, they…