All children have a right to education and in many countries education for children between certain ages (roughly between seven and eighteen years old) is a legal requirement. But not all children flourish in schools and not all parents approve of the education systems used. This makes home schooling or home-based education an attractive option.

Home schooling is typically undertaken by parents but can, in certain cases, be managed by professional tutors. Tutors only come into the picture if parents have the money, but don’t have the time to give their children the education they think they deserve. More often than not, home schooling finds mom or dad ploughing through books and poring over learning material just as studiously as their kids to ensure that they meet pre-determined learning criteria.

Parents may choose to home school their children for any number of reasons. For example:

· They might object to the subject matter being taught – as is the case with those who believe in intelligent design or creationism and not in evolution.

· They might not be happy with the level of education available. They might think that their child isn’t challenged enough or special needs are not being met.

· Their children might have social, psychological or developmental problems that aren’t suited to a formal education environment, especially when classes are too big for personal attention and bullying is a problem.

Parents who choose to home school their kids aren’t bound by any specific teaching methods or by any pre-determined curriculums, but they are bound by the laws regulating home schooling in their country. These laws differ from country to country and may even differ within a country (in the US different states have different laws). One ubiquitous law is that parents have to register with the correct authorities to legally home school their children. Usually (but not always), children are also required to pass standardised tests to ensure they are at the right stage of development. These tests are especially important if children want to go to university or attend formal tertiary education systems, or even enter high school from a primary home schooling base. » Read more: Home Schooling Depends on Parents