I was so inspired earlier today ...

I read the Carnival of Homeschooling and I was so inspired. I was away from my computer so I wrote a ton of notes. Now that I have time to type it in, my inspiration seems to have left me. I'm still going to try and write something based on my notes.

Reasons people give that they can't homeschool. (If you don't want to, that's one thing, but don't think you can't if you want to.)
1. I have to work. This is doable. My DH and I both work. Admittedly, we've made some sacrifices so that I can work at home and be home. A few of the other moms in my homeschool group work too, but I really don't know anyone that works more than about 30 hours a week. It is possible though. Homeschooling doesn't take as many hours a day as you would think. For one thing, you're working one on one for the instruction, then your child can work alone for a while. There's no time wasted waiting for someone else to go to the bathroom, etc.
2. I'm not educated enough. As a homeschool parent, you can function as an independent contractor and hire people to teach what you don't know how to teach, your children can take classes on-line or have a tutor, or you can just do what I do and learn along with them. The high school math book comes with a teacher's edition. It has the answers! Some curriculums even tell you word for word what to say, or have teachers on DVD or let the kids move through a computer program at their own pace.
3. My kids would drive me crazy. This is true. They will, but not more than they will in public school. Doing a few hours of our own customized school each day is easier than the hours of public school homework we used to have to do at night. That double chocolate cheesecake from the deli at Wal-mart helps this.
4. What about socialization? Your kids will be socialized by you and your family. Who better to do it? They will also have more time for playing with friends, piano lessons, karate, etc.

Now, onto the question of why anyone would want to do it.
1. Our kids childhoods are so short, why not spend as much time as you can with them? (Watch the movie "Click" sometime!)
2. Generic, one size fits all education doesn't work for some kids.
3. Some people have weird workshifts and only get to see their kids on the weekends.
4. Homeschooling is a lot of fun.

Okay, that's the best I can do, but it doesn't do justice to all the notes I wrote this afternoon ...