(UPDATE 10/16/18 SEE BELOW)

With the economy being the way it is, most of us could use some extra income. That makes the idea of being paid to homeschool our children pretty tempting, at least at first.

After all, if we weren’t homeschooling our children, we could be out in the workforce bringing in some much-needed income. I once worked out that by staying home to homeschool my kids, I’ve missed out on over a million dollars in income. I guess you have to be really convinced about the superiority of homeschooling to give up that kind of money.

In New Zealand, the government actually pays parents to homeschool their children. It’s not a fortune: the pay starts at $743 per year for the first child, with lesser amounts for additional children. But it would cover a nice quantity of books, software and field trips, that’s for sure.

The writer of the New Zealand article I just linked to thinks we need a program like this in the U.S. I don’t agree. The problem with taking money from the government is that you open yourself up to being told what to do and how to do it. This is the same danger that many people ignore regarding state-run virtual schools.

There’s an old saying: “He who pays the piper calls the tune.” It’s true of employers, and it’s also true of governments. I don’t want government money. I just want to be free to choose how to educate my kids.

Do you feel the same way? Or are you ready for a paycheck?

UPDATE 10/16/18: In the eight (!) years since I wrote this post, I believe it’s become even harder for families to live on one income, because housing and health insurance costs have skyrocketed. That’s why I imagine the desire to be paid to homeschool is greater than ever, because it’s so hard for one parent to stay home. That said, a split schedule where one parent works while the other homeschools the kids may be your best option if you live in an area with a very high cost of living. Ultimately, getting paid to homeschool your children would still be a risky proposition because you’re letting the government tell you what to do.