Gen Z’s mental health crisis didn’t start in college, and there’s plenty of blame to go around—parents, social media, tech companies, pop culture, and so on. Some of the worst lessons are taught at ordinary schools across the nation. 

Yes, many excellent schools exist, and if your kid goes to one of those, please know I’m not referring to your situation. But often the same fad-happy herd thinking that pollutes the college environment also pollutes high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and preschools.

How to start replacing madness with sanity? 

Homeschooling is one option. My wife and I homeschool our nine-year-old son, and we’ve found that it helps foster independent thought and counteracts consumerism, social media obsession, and other forms of anxiety-producing groupthink. 

From time to time, I write about homeschooling, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the level of interest the practice generates. I’ve also noticed plenty of unwarranted trepidation.