Our Homeschooling vs. Public Schooling Pros and Cons List

Ever since Zoey started to come home from school talking about the possibility of homeschooling I have been the one saying things like, "Won't you miss your friends?" or "You really like drama club, wouldn't you miss it if you were homeschooled?" just to get her to think a bit more critically about the decision since it's a pretty big one. I prompted her to create an ongoing list of what she thought the pros and cons would be and this is what she came up with on the evening that I mentioned the idea to her. 

PROS:

• a good lunch (time & recess)
• wouldn't have to get up so early
• could spend more time on learning and projects
• no older kids being mean
• more science!
• own pace at math
• no state testing or time spent on preparing for state testing
• more after school activities
• more subjects!
• flexible schedule
• meet other homeschoolers and foster those friendships
• field trips!
• learning in a way that makes sense to me
• spend more time with Leo (our dog)
• see more extended family
• spend more time with mom and dad
• I'd be more relaxed, less busy
• wouldn't worry about sick days
• could do more interesting projects and spend more time on them
• wouldn't have to be on the computers as much
• wouldn't worry about teachers losing my work or quizzes
• could act my age easier at home
• less peer pressure
• I could bake and cook, learn how to balance a checkbook
• get to go to the library more
• could school in the summer
• have classes outside!
• more time to explore my world 
• volunteer opportunities
• become more of an independent thinker and more confident
• less germs! less sickness!
• wouldn't have to worry about boys throwing things at me or calling me idiot (or other names) :(
• school would be more fair
• wouldn't have to worry about fitting everything in my locker
• won't have to carry my heavy backpack all day
• wouldn't have to sit in uncomfortable desks/chairs
• wouldn't have to worry about getting the last of stuff (heaviest gym weights in gym class, science projects, etc.
• I could read what I want!
• I could do book reports!
• wouldn't have to worry about lice as much, pink eye, etc.
• get more exercise!
• more fresh air
• wouldn't have to change in front of everyone in gym class

CONS:

• I wouldn't get to be in drama club
• no chocolate bar fundraisers (this we all will miss!)
• no Mrs. White (art teacher)
• would miss school party days but they have less as we get older
• having a packed lunch (but I didn't have time to eat it all anyways)
• anticipation of the first day of school

We intend to add on to this as the days and months go by until she feels the list is complete. It's a pretty impressive list to say the least and as a parent it's interesting to see what it is that concerns her the most about homeschooling vs. staying in public school.