๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐? ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ธโ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐
About this time 2 years ago, I was right where you are now. Nervous and self-doubting as I contemplated the idea of taking my son out of school.
The idea of home education was foreign to me or anyone close I knew. However, as my confident sonโs joy and self-esteem began to visibly diminished, I could no longer hide behind mantras of grit and resilience to rationalise my deep fear of losing my social status. I had to pay attention to his mental health and general well being.
2 years on, I still maintain taking the plunge was the bravest thing Iโd ever done. Iโm a better woman and mother for it. Above all, my son is thriving in every way.
I suppose those of you currently contemplating deregistration may be filled with the same angst as I was.
๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ? ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ฆ๐น๐ต๐ณ๐ข ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ? ๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด? ๐โ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ข ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ? ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ง ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ? ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ง ๐โ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด? ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ง ๐โ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ?(๐๐ฌ, ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ข ๐ง๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ…๐๐ฆ, ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ? ๐ฑ๐ง๐ง๐ง
Seriously, mama, I hear you? Almost every new Home Ed mum Iโve met has battled with such thoughts, to begin with. Always keep in mind why you are choosing the Home Ed path and stay focused on that. You were chosen to be your child(renโs) mother, guardian and mentor for a reason. You, dear mummy, have all it takes.
There are tons of Home Ed resources out there to read, listen to and participate in. There are several experienced homeschool mums on here, including yours truly who are willing to hold your hand through the initial process.
I put together a short starter guide for new home edders at the start of lockdown which still applies.
In the meantime here are a few tips for you, mama.
Some useful tip for new Home Ed Mum.
๐ปHome education isnโt always plain sailing. It can be hard for new mamas if youโre isolated, stressed about money, health, your sense of purpose or if your child has behavioural issues or special needs. Itโs important to have a home ed community on and offline. Read all the books, join the likeminded groups and get all the help you can.
๐ปIt can be particularly challenging on the entire family if you have to combine home educating with work. As a single income family, I was even forced to reconsider school for short while at one point. Ironically, Iโm grateful for the rude awaking of C-19, the launch of my own home education business which now allows me to combine work with educating my son at home. My point being, your decision to home educate is not a life sentence.
๐ปHomeschooling can also be hard for extroverted children especially an โonlyโ child. If you are home educating an only child like me then cultivating a deep and playful connection with your child is important.
Try not to recreate school at home. Set your daily rhythm so you spend more time outdoors making new friends with similar interests. For the most part, weโve been able to our daily subjects within 3-4hours, including an hour for morning time. This means we are free from 1.30pm/2pm to head out and socialise with various Home Ed groups, make day trips to museums and join afterschool sports activities.
Lockdown C-19 Schooling may have given homeschooling a bad rep to some. Donโt allow that surreal and intense experience deter you. Home Education when done intentionally can be an enriching experience for both mum and child(REN).
๐ปIf youโre a single mum based in the UK thinking of Home Ed, Iโd like to offer you one of 2 things to help lighten the load: If you email me by 21st September, Iโll offer you free 30 mins consultation or a copy of my new monthly family time resource:A Liturgy of love. Email me info@homegrownsonshine.co.uk
Download your free Home Ed tips here