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AMA
Original poster

My DC are home educated and have never been to school- AMA

59 replies

1A3S · 03/08/2019 17:07

I have 3 DC ages 12, 10 and 7, non of them have attended school though my oldest did go to nursery, Instead they're home educated

OP posts:
TitianaTitsling · 03/08/2019 17:08

Were you home educated?

cheeseandcracker · 03/08/2019 17:09

Why did you decide to homeschool? Do you think it will impact on their social skills/work life in the future?

SleepingStandingUp · 03/08/2019 17:09

Why?
Do you feel you can adequately meet all their educational and social needs until adulthood?

itsboiledeggsagain · 03/08/2019 17:09

What made you think it was a good idea?

growlingbear · 03/08/2019 17:10

How do you teach them subjects you aren't strong at?
How will you cope with GCSE sciences?Do you have a mini lab at home?
How often do they socialise with other children?

Flopdoodle · 03/08/2019 17:11

How do you manage financially to get all resources, perhaps subscribe to homeschooler networks and termly activities that suit the dc?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 03/08/2019 17:12

Would you let them go to school if they showed a desire to do so, do they know they have the choice to attend? The only home ed families I've come across make school sound like prison in the hope their children never ask to go. Sad

Bunnybigears · 03/08/2019 17:14

Do you think they are on par with their peers who go to school in terms or academic ability, and social aspects such as sharing, cooperation, tolerance etc?

YouJustDoYou · 03/08/2019 17:16

How do you do it? Will they take their GCSE's etc at home (if they need to?). How are they taught?

Soontobe60 · 03/08/2019 17:17

Who does the 'teaching'?
How do you discriminate between learning time and non learning time?
Does one of you have a well paid job?

AquaPris · 03/08/2019 17:17

Do you not worry that they won't be able to get a job? I have 13 GCSES, a BA and an MA from a top 10. I struggled after graduation to get a job....

Original poster
1A3S · 03/08/2019 17:19

Were you home educated
No I wasn't
Why?
Do you feel you can adequately meet all their educational and social needs until adulthood?
I believe I can, I would send them to school if I thought they'd have better opportunities there
Why did you decide to homeschool? Do you think it will impact on their social skills/work life in the future?
It was something I had been interested in since my first was born and it when it came to him starting school I didn't feel like he was exactly ready, his birthday is quite late on in the school year and he struggled with nursery. So I thought I would try it out for maybe a year. By the end of that year it was working really well and we decided to continue. They still have good social lives, do lots of activities and have made lots of friends so I don't think it will impact their social skills in a negative way.

OP posts:
Roussette · 03/08/2019 17:23

I want to read this thread to maybe learn something. Because I just don't get it. At all.

I'm sure if your child is desperately unhappy or being bullied, then I can imagine HS happening. But otherwise, no. My DCs absolutely loved school most of the time and even now (they're adults) they are in touch with lots of their schoolmates and always will be.

One of my DDs in her late 20's has a schoolfriend staying with her in her flat this weekend and no doubt the shared memories of school days will provide a lot of laughs. The other older DC is going to 3 weddings this year... all old school friends. DSS is off on holiday with someone he was at school with nearly 20 years ago!

I would not want them to have missed that experience for anything. It's the lack of social interraction that I think is lacking in HE.

To repeat... I know they were lucky in that school was a happy place for them and I appreciate it's not like that for every child.

Original poster
1A3S · 03/08/2019 17:33

How do you teach them subjects you aren't strong at?
How will you cope with GCSE sciences?Do you have a mini lab at home?
How often do they socialise with other children?
They've had tutors for some subjects, preparing for GCSE's is something I've been looking into a lot lately as my oldest is getting closer to them. We do have some equipment at home that we use. They each do activies and sports at least 3 times a week and meet up with friends a few times a week too, they have quite a few friends who are also home educated so they can meet up with them during the week
Would you let them go to school if they showed a desire to do so, do they know they have the choice to attend? The only home ed families I've come across make school sound like prison in the hope their children never ask to go
I would, it's something we talk about quite often, they sometimes see school in a negative way because they hear other children complaining and telling them how lucky they are but personally I enjoyed school for the most part and I tell them that.

OP posts:
Bumbags · 03/08/2019 17:36

What’s your daily routine with HE and how do you manage to teach such a mixture of ages?

AgileLass · 03/08/2019 17:48

Did you give up a career to homeschool your children? What’s your financial situation?

Original poster
1A3S · 03/08/2019 17:52

Do you think they are on par with their peers who go to school in terms or academic ability, and social aspects such as sharing, cooperation, tolerance etc?
My 10 year old does struggle academically but I think that would be the case still if she was at school and she improved a lot in the past year but I think they're all doing well, I don't think it's putting them behind in any way. I don't have any issues with their social abilities, in general they're polite and interact well with each other and people they meet
How do you do it? Will they take their GCSE's etc at home (if they need to?). How are they taught?
They'll most likely be entered privately for the exams but the studying for them will mostly be done at home. My oldest is considering going to school for the last few years during his GCSE's so that's something we've been looking into
Who does the 'teaching'?
How do you discriminate between learning time and non learning time?
Does one of you have a well paid job?
I mainly do the teaching.
They have a certain amount of work they have to do during the day, so they have time where they sit down and work, so that's seen as their "school time" but then outside of that they can still learn through everyday things and we do lots of trips to different places that are also educational.
My DH has a well paid job that always us to home educate
Do you not worry that they won't be able to get a job? I have 13 GCSES, a BA and an MA from a top 10. I struggled after graduation to get a job
They'll be able to sit their GCSE's still and go into further education so I don't imagine it'll be harder for them than someone who has been to school

OP posts:
hashtagthathappened · 03/08/2019 17:54

I agree Roussette

It’s not that I think school is an incredibly academic environment: it isn’t. But it’s a shared experience and when you remove your children from that then you are taking them away from a cultural and social norm which is really sad.

Omgnamechange · 03/08/2019 18:02

Thanks for the thread, one of my kids wants to be home schooled - not an option for us though sadly due to income.
What has been the most difficult thing about home schooling? How much time do you spend prepping? Do all the kids school at once? Is it 5 days a week? Are you involved in group home schooling with other parents/ kids?
Thanks

ScrunchyBook · 03/08/2019 18:05

I think it's fascinating. My kids are only preschool age, but I love the two days they go because we get a day of freedom.
How much free time do you get away from them? Do you get fed up having them around all the time?

Hoppinggreen · 03/08/2019 18:06

How do your dc feel about it?
Where have they made friends?

BogglesGoggles · 03/08/2019 18:11

@hashtagthathappened well you’re quite the co for it’s aren’t you? How boring. This is an AMA thread not a let’s bully the OP for making different choices thread.

OP, do you find it really difficult emotionally? I would probably find the pressure of the responsibility a bit difficult to deal with but maybe that’s just me? Why did you choose the homeschooling route in the first place?

hashtagthathappened · 03/08/2019 18:14

I’m not bullying her, don’t be ridiculous Confused

formerbabe · 03/08/2019 18:21

How do you cope with being around each other all day? Just wondering because it's summer holidays and I'm struggling with not having any childfree time right now! Do you get a break?

And how do you keep up with housework with your DC home all day?

If your DC wanted to try school, would you let them?

Roussette · 03/08/2019 18:42

It’s not that I think school is an incredibly academic environment: it isn’t. But it’s a shared experience and when you remove your children from that then you are taking them away from a cultural and social norm which is really sad

That's my point exactly, and I didn't put it very well.

And I am really not having a go at the OP. I just can't get my head round it so I'm curious.

It might be something to do with my lot being older and it was unheard of then.