We articulate a theory suggesting that the way families practice homeschooling is based on practical constraints imposed by household demographic characteristics and ideological considerations. These theories are empirically tested using the 2012, 2016, and 2019 waves of the National Household Education Survey and a sample of 1,468 homeschooling families. Findings indicate that specific household characteristics such as family structure, labor force participation, and parents' educational background are associated with how long a child is homeschooled and the resources families use to homeschool their children. Comparisons between homeschooling and non-homeschooling families are also made.