Two weeks ago, I predicted that homeschooling might become a
more popular educational choice during the current economic
downturn.
Two weeks ago, I predicted that homeschooling might become a more popular educational choice during the current economic downturn. I gave three reasons, the third being that if a parent is laid off, that parent would be free to homeschool. On page 2 of the print Dispatch, someone with the e-pseudonym Lookinginward responded, “In these hard economic times. Someone in the household would need a substantial income to afford one spouse staying at home to home school children. How many people do you know that could afford that?”
I always find it annoying when a writer ignores conditions. I said, “If a parent is laid off …” Lookinginward completely ignores the if. I will curb my annoyance, address the erroneous assumption and answer candidly the question, “How many people do I know that can afford to homeschool?” and the underlying question, “How can anyone afford that?”
Lookinginward (like many others) erroneously assumes that someone in the household needs a substantial income to afford to have one spouse staying home to homeschool the children. I know about 100 families who homeschool. True, most of them have one spouse making a decent income: engineers, business owners, professionals. But I also number among my homeschooling friends blue-collar workers, construction workers, pastors, a pool maintenance guy, a highway patrol officer, a prison guard, and a gardener.
I know one family where the primary breadwinner became permanently disabled several years ago. I know another where the primary breadwinner was laid off a few years ago. I know a family that homeschools with an income of less than $20,000 a year. I even knew one family on welfare.
So my first point is this: people from all income levels homeschool. My second point is this: families afford to homeschool the exact same way families decide to raise their own babies instead of consigning them to daycare. They decide to do it, they make it a priority, then they live within their means. Their means will vary from family to family.
Maybe if both parents were working, a particular family could afford a fancy house in a rich neighborhood. That family instead decides to have a modest house in a decent neighborhood. Our family, if we both worked, could afford a larger home in a decent neighborhood. Instead we live in a smallish house in a, shall we say, ethnically diverse neighborhood.
Another family might afford a tiny house in a terrible neighborhood. Or they might rent. Or they might move to a state where they can afford a house. Or the breadwinner takes on two jobs. Or the homeschooling parent takes a part-time job on weekends. Housing is the biggest expense, but there are others.
When I quit work to have and raise and eventually homeschool our kids, our gross income was cut in half. Within six months we figured out that eating out was no longer a justifiable expense. Our house was, and still is, furnished in the eclectic style we call Early Garage Sale. My husband had to have decent work clothes, but I dressed the kids and myself from thrift stores and garage sales and hand-me-downs. (When Anne was 3, she replied cheerfully to an adult friend who complimented her outfit, “I am very blessed in handi-downs.”)
Now that this 24-year experiment is over, was it worth it? Absolutely! Our two oldest are graduated from college, and are working in their dream jobs. Our youngest is excelling at CalPoly SLO. But they got more than an excellent education at home. They grew up in an ethnically and socio-economically diverse neighborhood, so they have seen poverty, American style. Having had to work for their goodies, they are all hard workers. Having had to make do, they are all resourceful.
Since the house is too small, we have had no failure to launch. But the person who benefited the most was me. I was able to enjoy a 24-year sabbatical from the working world. I was free to teach my kids how to tie their shoes and read and take a derivative. My project is complete, on time and under-budget at an estimated $1 million in deferred income. I am truly blessed.
Cynthia Anne Walker is a mother of three, a mathematics teacher and a former engineer. She is a published, independent author. Her column appears each Friday.
