A Deep Dive about Homeschool vs. Online Learning
Kathleen Tiu • May 5, 2021
As we have written about the top 3 things you should know about homeschool and online learning, now we want to help you make a more concrete decision, that is why we’ve closely examined and laid out the pros and cons of homeschool vs. online learning below:
Pro's of Homeschool:
More Time with the Family
Homeschooling offers an incredible opportunity for families to bond and share experiences as parents to teach their children everything and even plan educational field trips or family vacations. It also allows parents to build family bonding time into their schedule. For example, if one parent works an odd shift and is only home during the typical school day, families can build their school day around that schedule.
Homeschooling offers an incredible opportunity for families to bond and share experiences as parents to teach their children everything and even plan educational field trips or family vacations. It also allows parents to build family bonding time into their schedule. For example, if one parent works an odd shift and is only home during the typical school day, families can build their school day around that schedule.
Control of Content
Whether you want to weave faith-based conversations into every lesson or have strong beliefs about how to teach science, you have control of the lessons and the information your child receives. This is also particularly helpful if your child has been through trauma such as sexual assault or recent death of a close family member. Many books and works of literature taught in online or in-person classes touch on these difficult concepts, but teachers don’t often take into account that these topics can be triggering for some students.
Schedule Flexibility
Because you get to completely choose your schedule, you have incredible flexibility. Even though online schooling offers flexibility, students are still tied to deadlines, the general school year schedule, and sometimes even live lectures. With homeschooling, you can control when your kids learn, so they’re not stressed about completing work while on vacation, for example.
Rigour of curriculum
One of the main reasons families decide to homeschool is because they are not satisfied with their private school options. Parents can make homeschool curriculum as rigorous as they want all the while ensuring their child's needs are being met.
Interest driven
Students and parents can work together to cover topics and create elective courses that are tailored to their interests. For example, if a student loves "The Start Up," parents can work that into the curriculum to teach reading, writing, and speaking skills. They could even create an art elective class based entirely on the start up series. It’s hard to tailor to interests specifically in online classes that are generalized for a large group of students.
Pro's of Online Learning:
Learn from a Licensed Teacher
While many homeschool parents do an excellent job teaching their kids, some parents feel more comfortable knowing their kids are being taught by a licensed teacher who has been trained to educate students. It takes some of the pressure off, whether it’s teaching your kindergartener how to read or explaining physics to your high schooler.
Online School Cost Less
The cost of an online school tends to be much cheaper than homeschooling, and online public schools are free, meaning you can keep your kids at home to learn without the financial burden of homeschooling. This also frees up some of your time to work so you can earn additional income while your kids are learning.
Student Independence
Students who crave independence from their parents find that they have much more independence in homeschooling, where their parents aren’t involved in every aspect of their schooling. Independence is an important aspect in child development that can be easily fostered through distance learning.
DepEd Requirements are Covered
Depending on where you live, there may be state standards that need to be met, and students might also be required to take standardized tests even if they don’t attend school. An online school will ensure students meet requirements and will facilitate standardized tests. This helps ensure students don't fall behind.
Less time consuming for parents
Parents who have other responsibilities often find that they have more time on their hands when their children take their classes online. This doesn’t mean you can’t still help your kids and be involved, but it frees up much of your time when compared to homeschooling.
Con's of Homeschool:
Work load for parents
Homeschooling can be very time consuming and stressful for parents. It takes time to plan lessons, put together materials, and teach students. Just like teachers, parents may end up putting in extra work outside the “school day.” Parents might also find that homeschooling takes more time and effort than they thought, leaving them stressed and potentially even cutting corners.
Difficult Concepts
Some parents, especially those who struggled in school themselves, feel inadequate and struggle to teach their kids. The older kids get and the more they learn advanced concepts, the worse this struggle may become. Even a seemingly simple concept like learning to read is much more complex than it seems at first glance.
Organized Study Place
Homeschooling requires a lot of physical and mental organization. You need an uncluttered space for your kids to keep their materials and for you to teach them every day. You also need to organize and plan out your day to create a routine for your kids. Some people find this level of organization difficult.
Expensive
The cost of a curriculum itself can be expensive, and then you need to add on the cost of materials and educational trips. Homeschooling could also mean that one parent needs to stop working or cut down on hours, which can make the cost burden even higher.
Lack of regulation
Lack of regulation sounds like a benefit to some families who choose to homeschool to have more freedom for themselves and their kids. However, in states that have very relaxed regulations for homeschool students, it’s easier for students to fall behind or even get no education at all.
Con's of Homeschool:
More Stationary Learning
There often aren’t as many opportunities for real life experiential learning. A large portion of students’ learning is done sitting in a chair, while homeschool learning can happen anywhere. Science labs, for example, often leave a much stronger impression when students can do them hands-on rather than by watching a video or participating in an interactive tutorial online.
Internet Connection
Most people have access to strong and fast internet connections today, but online learning can obviously be very difficult and stressful for students who have to deal with slow or unreliable connections.
More Screen Time
Full-time school online requires a lot of screen time to attend classes, read materials, watch videos, complete assignments, etc.
Focus
It can be difficult to get young kids to focus on online learning for an extended period of time. While homeschooling parents can switch between topics and activities often to hold short attention spans, it’s harder to accomplish this with online learning.
Lessons Aren’t Individualized
Distance learning lessons are more generalized so teachers can reach an entire class of students. While teachers will be available to help and answer questions, lessons aren’t tailored to each individual student as they can be in homeschooling.
Those are the top pros and cons of homeschool and online learning which we hope will help you decide on which you’ll go for, for the coming school year.
Christian learning doesn’t only happen inside a classroom, during Bible study, or on Sunday. Some of the most important lessons children can learn are the ones they practice every day . As parents and educators, we have the opportunity to help children understand that being a Christian is not simply about knowing Bible stories—it is about allowing God’s Word to shape how we think, speak, treat others, and make decisions. Here are five simple Christian lessons children can practice every day. 1. Start the Day with Prayer Prayer teaches children that they can talk to God about anything—their worries, hopes, plans, and even the little things that happen during their day. A simple morning prayer can help children begin their day with gratitude and remind them that they don't have to face challenges alone. For parents, this can be as simple as asking, “What would you like us to pray for today?” Prayer builds a habit of turning to God, not only when something goes wrong, but also when everything is going well. 2. Practice Kindness Kindness is one of the simplest ways children can live out their Christian faith. Holding the door, sharing, helping a classmate, saying thank you, listening when someone is speaking, or checking on a friend who is sad may seem like small actions—but they teach children something important: how we treat people matters. Children should learn that kindness isn't something we do only when someone is watching or when we expect something in return. We are kind because it is the right thing to do. 3. Choose Words That Build Others Up Children have powerful words. A simple “You can do it!” can encourage someone. A “Thank you” can make someone feel appreciated. And an apology can begin to repair a relationship. Christian learning should therefore include learning how to use words wisely. Before speaking, children can learn to ask themselves: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful? This doesn't mean children should never express anger or disagreement. Instead, they can learn to communicate honestly without intentionally hurting others . 4. Learn to Forgive Children will experience disagreements. Friends may hurt their feelings. Siblings may argue. Someone may say something unkind. Learning forgiveness helps children understand that holding on to anger does not make the hurt disappear. Forgiveness doesn't mean pretending that something wrong never happened. It means learning to release resentment and choosing not to repay hurt with more hurt. This is a lesson that becomes increasingly important as children grow into adults. 5. Read and Apply God's Word Reading the Bible is important—but Christian learning goes beyond simply memorizing verses. Children should also learn to ask: “What does this teach me, and how can I practice it today?” If a child learns about honesty, they can practice telling the truth. If they learn about kindness, they can look for someone to help. If they learn about forgiveness, they can practice letting go of anger. This is where faith becomes part of everyday life. Christian Learning Is a Daily Journey Children don't need to become perfect overnight. They need consistent opportunities to learn, practice, make mistakes, and try again . The goal of Christian education is not simply to fill a child's mind with information. It is to help shape a heart that knows what is right and gradually learns to live it out. For parents, the most powerful lessons often happen through example. Children watch what we do, how we speak, how we respond when we're angry, and how we treat people when nobody is watching. Christian learning truly becomes meaningful when it moves from what we know to how we live. π Bible Verse to Remember ο»Ώ “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
Love is more than saying “I love you.” It is shown through kindness, patience, forgiveness, and caring for others. Here are three beautiful Bible verses that remind us what true love looks like: β€οΈ 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 – “Love is patient, love is kind…” β€οΈ John 15:12 – “Love one another as I have loved you.” β€οΈ 1 John 4:19 – “We love because He first loved us.” The greatest love we can share begins with God’s love for us. When we fill our hearts with His love, our words and actions become a blessing to everyone around us.
Everyone gets angry sometimes—even children and adults. But as Christians, God teaches us to choose our words carefully, especially when emotions are strong. Before speaking, try asking yourself: β€οΈ Will my words help or hurt? β€οΈ Would Jesus be happy with what I’m about to say? β€οΈ Can I speak calmly instead? The Bible reminds us in James 1:19: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” A calm heart and kind words can solve many problems. Choosing gentle words doesn’t make us weak—it shows strength, wisdom, and God’s love.
Loving the Philippines isn’t only shown by waving our flag or celebrating our culture. We also show love for our country through the words we choose every day. Children can love their country by: π΅π Speaking Filipino with respect and pride. π Using kind words instead of hurtful ones. π€ Encouraging classmates instead of teasing them. π Praying for our leaders, communities, and nation. π Speaking honestly and respectfully wherever they go. Every kind word helps build a kinder school, a stronger community, and a better Philippines. Let’s use our voices to spread hope, respect, and love for our country.
Words are powerful. They can comfort a friend, encourage someone who is sad, and show God’s love to others. As we celebrate Buwan ng Wika, let’s remember that the words we speak should always honor God. Here are five Bible verses every child should remember: π Proverbs 16:24 – “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” π Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.” π Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” π Colossians 4:6 – “Let your conversation be always full of grace.” π Psalm 19:14 – “May the words of my mouth… be pleasing in your sight, Lord.” Let’s use our words to encourage, uplift, and share God’s love every day.
Many people focus on what they eat but forget that what they do after eating can also affect their health. Here are some simple dos and don’ts to remember: DO πΆ Take a gentle walk. A short walk can help support digestion and encourage family bonding. π§ Drink water in moderation. Staying hydrated is important throughout the day. π Spend time together. Conversations after meals help strengthen family relationships. DON’T ποΈ Lie down immediately. This may increase the chance of indigestion and discomfort. π° Eat another heavy meal right away. Give your body time to digest properly. π± Spend all your time on gadgets. Family mealtime should be followed by meaningful interactions whenever possible. Healthy living isn’t about perfection. It’s about making small, consistent choices that help families feel their best every day. Good habits at the table—and after the table—can benefit children for years to come.
Vegetables may not always be a child’s favorite food, but they play a huge role in supporting healthy growth and development. Here are five vegetables every family should consider including in meals: π₯ Carrots – Excellent for eye health and rich in Vitamin A. π₯¦ Broccoli – Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. π₯¬ Spinach – Contains iron and nutrients that support growth. π Squash – Naturally sweet and packed with vitamins. π« Green Beans – Easy to prepare and full of nutrients. One helpful tip for parents: make vegetables fun by adding color, creativity, and variety to meals. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated—it starts with simple choices at the family table.
Fruits are nature’s healthy snacks. They provide important vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help children grow strong and stay healthy. Here are five fruits worth adding to your family’s menu: π Apples – Great source of fiber and easy to bring to school. π Bananas – Packed with potassium and energy. π Oranges – Rich in Vitamin C to help support immunity. π₯ Mangoes – A Filipino favorite filled with vitamins and antioxidants. π Watermelon – Hydrating and refreshing, especially during warm weather. While all fruits offer benefits, variety is key. Encourage children to try different fruits and discover their favorites. Healthy eating habits developed during childhood often last a lifetime.
A good night’s sleep helps children learn better, stay focused in school, and maintain a healthy mood. However, certain foods can make it harder to fall asleep. Here are some foods best avoided before bedtime: π« Chocolate – Contains caffeine that may keep children awake. π Fried Foods – Can be difficult to digest and may cause discomfort. π₯€ Soft Drinks – Often contain sugar and caffeine that can interfere with sleep. π Heavy Meals – Large portions late at night can make the body work harder when it should be resting. π¬ Sugary Treats – May lead to energy spikes right before bed. Instead, encourage water, fruits, or light snacks if your child feels hungry before sleeping. Healthy sleep habits are just as important as healthy eating habits.
Weekend family movie nights often come with a craving for snacks. While chips, candy, and sugary treats may be tempting, choosing healthier options can help both children and adults sleep better and feel more energized the next day. Here are some family-friendly midnight snack ideas: π Bananas – Rich in potassium and easy to digest. π₯ Warm Milk – A classic bedtime drink that can be comforting and filling. πΏ Air-Popped Popcorn – Light, crunchy, and perfect for family movie nights. π Fresh Fruits – Strawberries, apples, and grapes satisfy sweet cravings naturally. π₯ A Small Handful of Nuts – Provides healthy fats and helps curb hunger. Remember, midnight snacks should be light and enjoyed in moderation. The goal is to create happy family moments without sacrificing a good night’s sleep. Healthy habits start at home—and every small choice makes a difference.