Home Schooling, Home Education, Letting Go
We started home schooling in March this year after a sticky period with teachers leaving, changing and being replaced. For a 7 year old changes like this can be very unsettling and upsetting and there needs to be a time when a parent knows when its time to STEP IN!
I knew it was my time to do this and took my daughter aged nearly 7 out of school promptly after some disappointing meetings.
So here we are 7 months down the line and we are still only on the edge of being DE SCHOOLED! My word this takes time and to be honest its much worse for me that it is for Ana – took her a few hrs :-), its’ taking Mum and Dad a lot longer.
We find being semi structured works for us; with some structure I feel more in control (scary admittance – yikes!!). I have friends who are very structured and still follow the curriculum and others that don’t do anything at all, and just follow the flow of whatever arises. Its important that you find your own way with this.
Kids learn all the time regardless of what you are trying to teach them. I can only speak from watching my own children sponge up situations and information given to them ‘when they want it’… don’t even bother trying when they don’t or aren’t being present – that just leads to a painful and very upsetting time together. Wait until the time is right – eventually they will ask and then it will be a breeze.
Ana said to me the other day, ‘I just want to be free Mum – I don’t want to do all that sitting still stuff!’. Needless so say we are moving around a lot 🙂
Key points I have learnt from home schooling:
1. Learn to let it be – it will happen anyway so let go 🙂
2. Give yourself plenty of time to de school it doesn’t happen overnight and sometimes it takes the parents a lot longer!
3. Have LOADS of fun and I mean LOADS – make learning happy and colourful. We’ve been having massive fun learning cartwheels this week!
4. Go out to museums and meet other home education people – some you will like some you won’t – we are all doing it for different reasons. You will find some families that resonate in time. The Deep, Think Tank, Natural History – all have Home Ed stuff going on.
5. Let go with what others think! Most people think we all should go to school and be in the system – that’s hard but hey that’s life – FEAR is the main thing that stops anyone doing anything so I’m not surprised. Urine therapy is enough to shock most people so combine that with home Education and your a total loon 😉 C’est La Vie!
6. Get some time away from the kids – any time! Its really important for you alI am extremely grateful to find on my may and at work teaching to fulfil this whilst earning some spending money – How lucky am I.
Namaste x
