The pandemic forced you into the homeschool lifestyle. Now, you’re considering a permanent change of sticking with homeschooling for the long term. How can you know that’s the right decision?

We’ll explore that key question in this blog post. As with so many things when it comes to the education of your child, the answer is an individual decision that depends on so many factors. That being said, there are a handful of indicators that show you should consider making home education your family’s way of life going forward.

Here they are.

1. School lockdowns gave you a taste of the freedom and flexibility that homeschooling offers. You don’t want to give those up.

A traditional school environment offers a lot of structure. For some families, that’s a bonus. But for others, it can be too inhibiting. And sometimes, you don’t know how great freedom and flexibility feel until you experience them.

If you’ve homeschooled for the first time during the pandemic, you’ve probably seen firsthand how much autonomy and flexibility it gives you—to structure the school day how you see fit, to travel with your family whenever and wherever you want, to teach your children a handpicked curriculum that expresses your own values, to just slow down and enjoy your family.

Don’t want to give all of that up? Then don’t! Stick with homeschooling.

2. You discovered that you prefer choosing and overseeing what your child is taught.

A big benefit of home education is that you can impart your worldview to your child without having to re-educate from material you disagree with in the public schools. As a first-time homeschooler, you might have discovered this during the pandemic and now you don’t want to give it up.

It’s not that homeschoolers try to over-shelter their children—most of them don’t. They expose their children to a wide range of worldviews and values systems, in age appropriate ways. But that exposure comes under parental guidance.

3. Maybe surprisingly to you, your child thrived at home.

Many parents discover that a new version of their child emerges when they try out homeschooling. Many factors can contribute to your kid faring better at home. Maybe he or she experienced bullying or a stressful social atmosphere. Maybe academic anxiety was present and that’s lessened in the warmth of a home environment.

Maybe you also discovered that having your child at home offers you the opportunity to forge a stronger relationship. Or you’ve seen a love of learning reemerge in your child now that he or she is in a better environment.

All of these great things. If you’re worried about giving them up by returning to a traditional school environment, then don’t!

4. You or your spouse transitioned to part-time work and you enjoy that lifestyle much better.

School closures might’ve meant that you or your spouse quit your job or significantly reduced your hours in 2020. That income hit was hard, but surprisingly you’ve found your household budget able to withstand it. So you want to remain in part-time work going forward, or even want to leave your job entirely.

The good news is that a trademark of home education is flexibility. In many instances, you can work part-time and homeschool, or run a side business. (Read more: 4 benefits of running a side business while you homeschool and Can I work and homeschool?)

5. You want to better prepare your student for college and for the real world.

Homeschool students are better prepared for college than their peers. That’s just a straight up fact. They score 15 to 30 percentile points higher on standardized tests, they graduate college at a higher rate, and they have above average scores on the ACT and SAT. Additionally, homeschool co-ops can be an even better way to prep for entrance into college.

Beyond academics, homeschool students have a chance to develop more life skills, interact with a variety of people in different age ranges, and dig deeper into what they truly enjoy while exploring future career and life possibilities.

Wrapping up: Share your experience with us

Are you new to homeschooling due to the pandemic? Share your experience and tell us about the highs and lows in the comments section below!