Teenagers often earn a bad rap. If you picture all teens as flirting, gossiping, self-centered bundles of raging hormones, it’s no wonder homeschooling high school can be intimidating! I’d like to argue against that false generalization and suggest that homeschooling your high schoolers might be the best thing you could do for their teen years.

These last four years at home can be an unparalleled opportunity to reap the academic, spiritual, and relational rewards you’ve been praying for since your children were born. Yes, teenagers can be challenging, but I’d like you to think of “challenging teenagers” as something you do, not something they are. Set the bar high and enjoy the chance to challenge your teenagers.

That’s one of the best reasons to homeschool them, actually. You can help them rise above society’s expectations as they mature in godliness, serve others, refine critical thinking skills, and hone unique gifts and talents at new levels.

What else might motivate you to homeschool during these years?

High school could be your last opportunity to spend significant time with your children

Once children go off to college or career, you have less time to interact with them. As young adults they’ll become more and more independent. Enjoy them while you can! Though you should still “be the parent,” who says you can’t laugh or cry with your teenager and actually develop a friendship? Authentic intimacy (instead of distant authority) can go a long way toward a strong lifelong relationship.

I kept waiting for the “terrible teens” with my own children, and that time never came. (Of course, every child is different—and just because a child does rebel doesn’t necessarily mean the parents are to blame.) When you homeschool your high schoolers, they’ll be able to engage in deeper conversation than ever before. Chances are, they’ll stimulate you to learn and grow. This can be such a fruitful season to see God work out His plans in your children’s lives as they gain independence and grow their abilities.

You serve as the primary role model for your teens

As you spend more time together, you are constantly reinforcing positive lessons. And you spend less time deprogramming your students from values and attitudes that don’t match your own. If your students spend eight hours a day in a typical classroom—even a good classroom environment—you’ll surely have to process unhelpful messages and ideas with them. But with the typical high schooler’s packed schedule, you’ll have far less time to talk through these harmful messages.

Homeschooling enables you to squeeze the best out of life together and leaves you more time to be a spiritual and moral influence on your students.

THIS GREAT ARTICLE continues at http://www.worldmag.com/2014/11/why_homeschool_your_high_schooler and is worth taking the time to read. The author gives six more great reasons to homeschool for high school!