There are many reasons parents choose home schooling for their children. Most parents do so because they want to teach a specific set of values, usually Christian, to their children. Parents may also decide on home schooling because they cannot afford to send their children to a private school. Others may want less structured learning for their children than a typical public or private school provides. Some may want greater control over the selection of material their children are being taught.
Some families organize home schools like a conventional school, with structured daily activities.
Others view all of life as an opportunity for learning and use a very flexible schedule. Most families provide educational experiences outside as well as inside the home. Their children may visit museums, work in a garden, or serve apprenticeships. Some home-school families use textbooks and prepackaged courses of study. Other home school families create their own materials.