I was reflecting this evening, the many conversations I’ve had over the last decade with parents on the verge of pulling their children out of school.
The anxiety of whether it is the right decision.
The fear of being judged by friends and family.
The pressure from the school to keep the child enrolled.
The overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start.
And on top of that, the stress of now being a “teacher” as well as a parent.
Parents feel so alone at the beginning of making, what feels like at the time, a life changing decision for their children.
In a way it is. But in a way it isn’t.
If it doesn’t work, you can always reapply back into a school. But if it DOES work, just imagine:
Your child well rounded
Enjoying learning
Motivated
Engaged
Calm
Understood
At peace
If it does work, there is so much to gain.
It’s funny though, the one thing that parents regret after I touch base with them after a period of time, is why they didn’t start earlier.
The years they lost in the school run.
The time they lost not seeing their child grow.
Home educating is not for every family or lifestyle. But it becomes a lifestyle for some. And whatever your reason for pulling your child out of school, be it:
COVID
Unhappy child
Falling behind
Bullying
Lack of school support
Inability for school to cater for your child’s SEN
Whatever the reason, make a decision on what’s best for YOUR child, not what others think is best for them. Get your child involved in that conversation.
Education and learning is a two way street. It can’t be forced.
Don’t ask your child if they want to be home educated. They can’t make a choice when they are unaware of what home educating entails. Instead, ask them:
1) What makes them happy?
2) What do they like learning?
3) Which activity do they find best?
4) What are their unanswered questions?
Give them options they can relate to:
Which do you prefer, an afternoon of looking for insects in the garden to study or an afternoon of painting insects or creating insect models?
With each question, you’ll learn a bit more on what excites your child
What makes them happy
What alleviates the stress
Then ask yourself, can school provide these experiences? Or can you?
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