Home-schoolers, how are you finding everyone's comments about children needing to get back to school?

[CurtainWitcher]

I'm just wondering how you're finding the worries about school closures and children missing out on education and socialisation etc?

I don't home school but I have friends who do and they're annoyed by it. They feel that children being at home is the right way to do things. Their DC are 9 years old and 12 years old, if that matters.

Has anyone's comments made you think twice about home schooling?

It must feel at least slightly like an implied criticism.

Well no, because those comments will be about families who have been thrust into this situation and who prefer their DC to be educated at school because they believe that’s in their DCs best interests. Which for many it is. Those comments won’t be about families who aren’t better served by normal home educating situations.

Who are better served.

Just to say, that many parents H.educate and work too, both me and dh both worked whilst H.edding.
We were able to work round it, and a couple of hours fit into the day was plenty learning, perhaps a bit more as they get into secondary, but still manageable with a job.
But even then, it wasn't both of us having to work certain hours for an employer and school work needing to be done during certain hours.
For us, dd could be reading at night, maths and English total 1 hour morning, or even lunch time, then an hour in the afternoon or evening, sorted.

I'm a home educator and I'm very keen for children to get back to school as soon as it's safe for them to do so. I don't think home education in the right thing for many families. It works for ours- but covid has disrupted education for my children as much as it has for any children, so we can't wait to get back to normal.

Child*!!

She's annoyed that the rest of the population isn't validating her personal decisions.

If she was genuinely confident and comfortable with her decision she wouldn't care that other people feel differently. Especially considering compulsory school closures and isolation are not comparable to a normal decision to homeschool.

She needs to learn to validate her own choices rather than getting upset other people won't do it for her.

So I'm slightly bitter about how all of a sudden it's deemed a matter of terrible urgency for children to all be back in full time school. This lack of education has been the norm for many thousands of disabled children for years and I hope everyone pushing for children to be back in school will continue to do so until all children in need of a full time school place have one

I think in general this is lack of awareness rather than lack of care (not an excuse, I’m just giving my view). I genuinely didn’t know until reading on Mumsnet that there were children who weren’t given a full time school place due to additional needs. Ignorant of me I know, I just didn’t/don’t know anyone in this situation.
Yes, the pressure should be maintained until all children have a full time school place.

Very few home educators would have no activities with peers, generally they'd have more than a schooled kid - due to more time, and the need for peer socialisation that is otherwise provided in the school.

Almost all of those things have also stopped due to the restrictions, indeed if all those things opened, re-opening of schools would be a lot less important for even schooled kids.

I don't think being at home for this length of time is harmful IF they can go out, do things, meet other children their own age. DD used to go to a choir for example and there were a number of home educated children who were members.

In lockdown, that's not been possible. I'm sure most home educators have felt pretty fed up as well

Yes, totally agree lists

Mine accessed the same LA provision as a schooled child, obviously except those run by the actual school for their own pupils.
County Orchestra, County choir, ensembles. Then there was a junior youth club, national ensembles and performing opportunities with children of all ages. We never struggled for activities, socialisation or learning resources.
It's certainly not for everyone though and not something you should be forced into. We considered it for a good 6 months, and did a lot of research.

I forgot sport.
Local hockey club, scouts, was hardly ever at home, always been a very sociable child.

It's about getting back to their normal education and activities, whether that is in school or home education - perhaps that's a better way to frame it.