Introduction
My name is Samantha and I am 24 years old. I am married to my husband Matt who is 30. We have 3 children, Kayley who is 5 years old, Leah 4years old and Junior 3years old. Kayley was due to start school last September. Leah due to start school this September. However we decided to home educate. Both girls attended nursery however junior hasn’t. We live in Worcestershire.
How long have you home educated for and what made you decide to do it?
We have been officially home educating since September. To start with my husband wasnt keen on the idea at all, however now he has warmed up to it and said he doesnt know why he was so against it to start with. I have always wanted to home educate, I myself didn’t like school very much growing up, my husband didnt either. I think another main reason i wanted to home educate is because I feel that they are too young to start full time school and want them to enjoy being kids and not being pressured to meet targets/goals.
Briefly describe your home ed style. Do you have a ‘typical’ week and what does it include if so?
We do not have a ‘typical’ week, every week is different for us. We always vary it depending on the kids moods too. We can go one week with being out every day doing a whole range of things, to the next staying in and not doing a great deal at all. We all have good weeks and bad weeks. On a good week we will go on mornings out, go for nature walks (doing all different nature related activities), visit different parks, do some reading, writing, painting, singing and dancing, playing in the rain! going to home ed meets, to meet fellow home educators, see family members and just about anything that we can fit in. Then on a bad week, we have a break from the meets, park and tend to stay inside doing something messy or watching films. Just playing together although we still fit a bit of quiet reading/drawing time in.
What was your highlight of home ed last week?
My highlight of home ed last week has got to be the fact my daughter gets confused on her numbers, she is fantastic at letters but she was sat writing a letter to her pen-friend and she came over and said, sorry mum I have ruined the letter, I was supposed to do an ‘S’ but for some reason I wrote the number ‘3’ instead. She didn’t even realise that she does actually know the number as she had just come and told me but the smile on her face when i asked how she knew, she was so please with herself that she has remembered.
What is your favourite thing about home edding your child/ren?
I dont have a favourite thing, there are so many good things about it!! Closer bonds with our children, seeing them so much happier and calmer!! No uniform and school runs, learning what they want to learn about not what they get told to learn about. No home work, we can go where we want, when we want! Quieter parks, Mixed ages of children at home ed meets not just the same age range children. Not having to justify my children being ill or having the day off. Not having to worry about my child falling behind. The good points really do outweigh any bad points.
What do you find most difficult and why?
I wouldnt really say that there was anything difficult, only when a day doesn’t go as planned and we all get a bit stressed and grumpy. The most difficult thing we have found is other peoples negative reactions and comments! however we have learnt to ignore them now.
What advice would you give to other home educators?
I would tell any person that was considering home education to take the leap! Do not be afraid to take that first step. If its what you really want to do, or if its what you feel is best for your child/children then go for it. School will still be there should you wish to enrol them further down the line or if things do not work out.
I would say to other home educators that if you are having a bad day, just remember tomorrow is another day. We all have days even weeks where we just want to hibernate and get nothing done or plans go completely wrong ! We are all human its fine to have days like that. Just remember why you chose to home educate.
Last of all do not be put off by other peoples comments or reactions. They may think that school is the right choice for their child but that doesn’t mean that it is the right choice for YOUR child/children.