Homeschool Forum Information - Advantages and Disadvantages

Reading over the posts at a homeschool forum can give you some advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. Here are some tips to getting the most from forums.

Advantages of using a homeschool forum

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  1. You can get quick advice from veteran homeschool moms from around the world. If you have a certain issue that no one in your area can help you with, chances are you can go on any good homeschool forum, post your problem, and get some advice within just a few hours or days.
  2. There are many topics covered (some that you might not even think of on your own). You can get help for any subject or grade and see what other families are using for homeschooling.
  3. Hearing from other positive homeschool moms can be a tremendous encouragement if you are feeling overwhelmed or troubled about a homeschooling issue.
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Disadvantages

  1. Reading and answering posts on forums can take up a lot of your time. You might think you will just spend a few minutes there looking over what is being said, only to find yourself still there an hour later wondering where the time went.
  2. Sometimes advice from another person that doesn't know you well can take you off focus from what you had originally believed to be what God wanted you to do with your children.
  3. Someone may highly recommend something that they are using and sway you to switch curriculums midstream in the school year. This may be beneficial, but it also might turn out that it causes added stress and cause you to spend more money you weren't intending to spend.
  4. You might get bad advice. Not everyone on the forums gives out the best advice. They might give good advice to some and steer others in the wrong direction unintentionally.

As with anything related to homeschooling, you need to make sure that you are keeping everything in balance. Your time, energy, and resources should be closely guarded.

If you don't have many homeschoolers or support close to you, the internet can provide you with a world of people that can help support and encourage you. Although it is great to be able to get advice quickly and from many sources, make sure that you balance that with what you know to be true for your family. Take the advice and pray about it and see if that direction is truly from God or just someone's opinion.