It might seem new or foreign to your parents, but home schooling as a modern movement has been seriously practiced and studied since at least the 1980s. You can use this history to your advantage by learning as much about home schooling as you can. Visit your local library or bookstore and check out books and magazines about home schooling. Visit one of the many forums and informational sites on the Internet. The more you know about what home schooling involves -- the requirements, goals and benefits -- the better chance you’ll have of convincing your parents that it’s right for you.
A big concern your parents might have about home schooling is whether it’s a legal alternative to public or private schools. Although regulations vary by state, home schooling is legal in all 50 states. The practice has become popular enough, in fact, that an honor society, Eta Sigma Alpha, exists solely for home-schooled students. To learn more about the requirements for becoming legally home-schooled, you can obtain information from your state’s department of education. Many states also have organizations dedicated to informing parents about their rights regarding home schooling.
Maybe your parents are informed about home schooling, but they feel it’s not right for you. One way you can convince them is to rationally explain valid reasons for wanting to try home schooling. In other words, look for concrete reasons why home schooling would be better for you, then clearly explain your reasoning to your parents. If the only reason you can give your parents is “I hate school,” they might not understand your point of view. If you can provide valid reasons why you want to study from home -- maybe your classes are too slow or you’re having difficulties with social pressures -- your parents could be more inclined to understand.
In any debate, there are two sides. You can prepare for the negatives by creating a list of the objections your parents might have about home schooling and the ways to overcome these. For example, if your parents seem worried that you won’t be able to attend college, gather data and real-life stories to show that home-schooled students pursue higher education. Presenting a list of objections and rebuttals will also show that you are taking your education seriously, which can help your case. You might also present a list of positives, some of which they might not have considered.