It's a lot harder than most people think. There's a huge difference in knowing the material, and being able to teach it to a child with no prior exposure to the material. It's very difficult, and takes a lot of research on the parents part. Not that I'm saying you can't to it! I just know from my aunt's experience that it's a full time job being a stay at home mum, and to home school your kid on top of it is really challenging. It leaves little time for errands and housework, not to mention activities for the parent. Parents have lives too! Besides, there's a lot of organizing and coordinating with study groups and field trips so that your child gets the social aspect of school, which is very important at a young age. But for some, home school is a much better alternative to traditional school! My aunt has two kids, one who's been homes schooled for two years and loves it to death, and one who's been in the educational system all his life and loves it. It's all dependent on the needs and learning style of the child. ^^