Homeschool Moms Interviews

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How do Moms really do homeschooling? And what do they think of it? This series of interviews with homeschool Moms tells it like it is.

Pat - UK

1. Tell me a little about how and who you homeschool. Why did you decide to homeschool?

We moved our daughter from a comprehensive school where she was bored, to a private school where she was happy at first but came under a lot of pressure to perform and conform every minute of the day.

Our daughter is very bright, academic and also extremely creative. It was that creativity that was being squashed by the demands of a school day. Also, our daughter has never been a follower and refused to bend under peer pressure, which made her life difficult. I reduced my hours at work so that I could be more available for her before and after school – I was a high school teacher, very disillusioned and desperate to find another job. The crunch came one summer day on the beach when our daughter burst into tears, worrying about going back to school. I read an article about home education and talked it through with my husband. I knew I could do it. We discussed it as a family and told our daughter that ultimately it was her choice. She jumped at the chance, we gave our notices and have not looked back since. We are now into our 4th year and loving it.

2. Has your homeschooling approach changed since you began? What is working for you now?

Absolutely, loads of times! Always in consultation with one another though. Our daughter has come to her own conclusions about how she learns best and what guidance she needs from me.

She is aware that being left totally to her own devices does not work for her, she requires a certain amount of structure for part of her time and is happy for me to organise that. She enjoys the freedom to choose how she spends the rest of her time. We use zillions of resources, in and out of home

3. What is your biggest surprise about homeschooling? Is there an unexpected benefit or drawback in it?

That is has become a way of life and we cannot find any drawback in home educating at all. It’s just what we do. School now seems so artificial, so alien.

4 What is homeschooling REALLY like?

It’s life, freedom to explore, satisfy your curiosity, keeping this joy of learning that enables you to enrich your life.

5. What would your absolutely perfect homeschooling day look like.

Unlike any other day, a total surprise even if we’ve planned it.

6. Please dish the dirt on homeschooling! What is the problem with it, or what is your biggest challenge in homeschooling. What do you like least about it?

Honestly, the biggest challenge is the ignorance of people who refuse to believe that home schooling is very individual and the intolerance of some (including home educators) for different styles of approaching education.

7. What is your favourite homeschooling memory so far?

How can you pick one? I think it’s just the smile and the sense of happiness that my daughter found again after leaving school for good.

8. What was the moment in time when you absolutely knew you had made the right decision to homeschool?

Almost immediately, when our daughter became herself again, relaxed, happy.

9. What would you go back and change if you could?

Make the decision to home educate earlier but I believe you need to work through the problems and come to your conclusions in your time, according to your circumstances, so no regret.

10. As a homeschooling mom, what is your own special take on it - or what have you learned that you would like to pass on?

Know your child, do what suits them. The whole point is to enable them to know themselves, to love themselves and to gain the confidence in themselves that we all need throughout our lives.

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Many thanks to homeschool mom Pat for agreeing to be interviewed.

If you are a homeschool Mom (or you used to be!) and think you can contribute, then please ask ask me for an interview. I would love to hear your story.

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