Does homeschooling cause depression? (+Understanding the link)

This article will center around the discussion of homeschooling can cause depression. It will discuss what are the positive and negative effects it can have on children, and how homeschooling can be beneficial to the children’s emotional development.

Does homeschooling cause depression? 

There is no evidence to support that homeschooling leads to depression. What is known is that depression is a mental illness that can happen due to many factors. They are:

• Genetic factors: so if you have a family member with depression you have a higher chance of developing it.
• External factors: going through a traumatic experience such as the loss of a loved one can lead to depression.
• Chemical factor: depression can happen because of a chemical imbalance in the person’s brain.

And this can happen to children that are being homeschooled, or not. Teenagers in all forms of education can experience depression and feel alienated from the place they are in. But homeschooling certainly doesn’t relate to what would cause them to feel depressed.

When homeschooled, differently from what people may believe, children are still exposed to a rich environment, and even though people may think they would lack social interaction, they would still have it in parks, in places they practice religion, and in other activities they may do like sports classes.

If you think your kid is experiencing depression, whether they are being homeschooled or not, the most important thing is to look for professional help. This will allow them to learn how to get a better handle on their emotions, and even how to express them more positively.

What are the positive sides of homeschooling? 

As with every form of learning, homeschooling has some positive sides to it. 

Being closer to the family

When a child is homeschooled, they will have more time around their loved ones. This can have a positive effect on the family’s relationship. Creating a more solid bond, in which parents have a chance to teach kids in a more fun way. 

Less pressure 

Being homeschooled can take the kids away from that competitive frame of work school has. They won’t need to know who got the best grade on what paper. And even though some kids can get more motivated by this way of working, to most of them it can be overwhelming. 

When they are homeschooled they can focus more on their learning, and that is the goal itself.

Focus more on individual motivation 

One of the biggest benefits of homeschooling is that it will take the kid’s learning process as an individual. Each parent will identify what works for their kids, and how they can better motivate them to learn.

Goes on the student’s rhythm

In the same way, it usually follows the students’ rhythm. Differently from when it is a large classroom, in which the teacher needs to sometimes even speed up the content so they have a chance to teach everything, in homeschooling, the kid can ask as many questions as they want, and learning can take into account the specificities of each child’s process.

It can be more fun

Since it is less based on the strict school schedule, homeschooling allows kids to think outside the box. This can help in their creativity, and make the whole process more enjoyable for them. 

What are the drawbacks of homeschooling? 

As with any form of learning, homeschooling has its drawbacks as well.

Parents need to learn to adapt 

For parents, homeschooling will be a constant process of adapting. As kids develop they will change, as well as their needs. You may need to be on the constant lookout to find a better way to pass them the knowledge, and this can be a difficult process at times.

You need to search for other activities

Different from when they are in school in which pretty much all of their activities are related to it, you will need to be on the lookout for activities to guarantee they will have the social contract they need.

This will require some time and effort. Finding good sports classes, or foreign language classes so they can develop other parts of themselves, and also meet people from different backgrounds may be important.

It may be hard to keep them motivated

As said before, kids are constantly changing, and their level of motivation will change as well. In those situations, the school often finds ways to keep students engaged. So as a homeschooling parent, you may need to find ways for that as well.

How can kids that are homeschooled better develop emotionally?

When homeschooling your kid, the main source of learning will be you. That is why you must find ways to show them, daily, how they can handle their emotions. And through the example, they will pick up on how to handle things.

You may also want to put mental health as a part of your kid’s curriculum. This is called Social and Emotional Learning. This is a way you can teach them about the importance of naming and expressing their emotions. 

But kids that are homeschooled tend to feel safer in some ways since they don’t need to deal with the social anxiety that school can bring. Try to keep the process of learning fun, and have other places they can socialize in. And all of this will make them motivated to learn and develop even more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Does homeschooling cause depression? 

Can being a homeschool parent cause you to develop depression? 

It can be that teaching your kid can lead you to depression. Being a homeschool parent can be extremely stressful. You need to prepare the classes, and always find interesting ways of explaining them to your kid.

It can be that your only job is not teaching them, and you may also have another job, or even care for your home. All of that can be overwhelming. You can feel demanded, and even drained by all of it.

And if you are not able to handle all this emotional load, and stress positively, you may become depressed. This is why it is so important for you to care for yourself, and your mental health.

How do I motivate my kid that is homeschooled? 

If you are homeschooling your kid, you may find it hard to motivate them at times. When that happens, you may want to keep a positive outlook on things. Although it can be hard to feel discouraged, keep in mind that learning is a difficult process.

If your kid doesn’t do as well as he could or misses deadlines, don’t use punishment as a way to handle it.

Try to be empathetic, let them know you understand how they might be feeling. If you feel they are not motivated, you may want to consider if they are feeling overwhelmed. When they have trouble understanding what is going on, it can lead them to avoid the matter, and lose motivation. 

If that may be the case, take a step back, and inside the chorus and activities in smaller steps. Encourage them to try again, and compliment them when they manage to do things. Offering rewards for their achievements is extremely important. 

It doesn’t also need to be a gift, but saying to them how well they did or valuing their effort will go a long way. Taking some time off, and going outside, when you feel they are not motivated can help them clear their minds and come back differently.

At that moment, you may also want to change your venue and your approach. Think if there is another way of teaching them, or through different materials that may suit their needs better. Along with that, it is always important to review their progress. This will show them how far they have come, and encourage them to go further.

How can I homeschool a defiant child? 

If you are homeschooling a defiant child, it may be important to observe their needs and care for them. The first thing you may want to do is to set a goal for their learning. Define what you want them to know by the end of that year, this will help you not demand too much of them.

Try to figure out what, in your way of teaching, is not good for your children. Your teaching techniques can be great, but they might not be what your kids need. Discovering what their needs are, and figuring out how you have been coming off short, will allow you to find better ways to teach them.

If you are teaching a defiant child, you should learn more about child development, and learn what your kids’ needs are. Understand that you won’t always be in control, and you can’t make them learn. It is a process of adjusting your and their needs.

Is school a cause of depression? 

Although it shouldn’t be like that, the school may lead to depression. This can happen because the youth nowadays is exposed to so much in school, that it can harm their mental health.

This can happen because they may not have a positive relationship with their peers. They can experience bullying, and feel like they don’t fit in with their colleagues. This can cause them to isolate themselves, and at some point, it can make them depressed.

Another matter that seems to harm the student’s mental, is the constant demand to succeed. Nowadays, students feel pressured to get good grades and be a part of as many extracurricular activities as they can. 

This is all in the hope of having academic success, but it can be so difficult for them, and weigh so much on them, that they can feel drained, and in some cases, even depressed.

How can I discipline a depressed child?

If your child is depressed, you may find it hard to discipline them. But it is important to know that there are ways to do so. The first thing to do is to discuss with the professionals that are caring for them, what are their needs.

Once you know what they are, set rules, and don’t be afraid of them. Talk it over with your child, and let them know how things will work. Give them a good sense of structure, and they can always know what is going to happen, this prevents them from overthinking negative things.

Say positive things, and reward them when they do something good. Keep in mind that you are disciplining their behavior, not their emotions. But when you give them a negative consequence try to have in mind how this will play in their head.

Conclusion 

This article centered on explaining that homeschooled kids have a higher chance of getting depressed. It also showed the positive and negative aspects of homeschooling, and how a parent may help their children to better develop emotionally when they are homeschooled.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

https://hownowhomeschool.com/can-homeschooling-cause-depression-we-find-out/

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