Most parents who are researching and beginning the process of home schooling are concerned with younger children. Once the teenage years arrive and we are talking about high school, the preference is to head them off to school. But why should this be? The child is still the same person – simply a bit older. Well, maybe a slight bit more different – especially being a teenager – but you get the idea.

As children start maturing into adults, parents feel insecure about Home-schooling. Many parents then discontinue the Home-schooling process and happily hand over the reign to outside authorities. But is this really necessary? Is the strictly compartmentalized education provided in schools a better option?

If social concerns are worrying you, look for interest-oriented associations, clubs and societies. These offer a lot of support for leaders, opportunity for shared experience, and foster a sense of belonging. Make up your own group or share this responsibility with someone else. Home education support groups provide fantastic opportunities to meet your child's needs. This is the best way to develop intelligent, self-motivated, healthy and able young people.

You had your concerns when the child was young and reasons for choosing home schooling in the first place – so what has changed?  Continue with your  original plan and stay with home schooling for your teenager. Sure they are young adults now with different needs, they become more opinionated and become their “own person”.

If the growing burden of some of the higher level Math or Science seems to be beyond you, enlist the help of someone who knows more. You can even barter your own services and thus save some money. With Home-schooling becoming more and more popular, support groups will have innumerable resources that help you find the right teacher for your child.

The underlying principle that guides Home-schooling is this: any child has the innate capacity to grow, develop and achieve its full potential. All it needs is the right environment and all the right answers. Be there to provide these and think twice before you turn over this responsibility to a third party.

Employ the services of a home tutor for the areas of expertise you are not competent with. You may have developed specialist skills in another area and you may opt to assist other home schooled children whilst your child is with their tutor, but you are having full control over your childs education. Use all the resources that you can.