To take DD out of school

[Homeschoolschooler]

DD1 is in the first year of infant school. It's an outstanding school that teaches right through to 18 years, and the examination results are brilliant. She really enjoys it and is learning a lot. I also have DD2, who is 8 months old.

I have this nagging feeling, though, that I've made the wrong choice. Not on a day-to-day level as things are ticking along nicely and I am grateful for all the good fortune I have. But I'm not sure what kind of world I'm trying to prepare my children for, and I'm not sure that propelling them into this hyper-connected, fast-moving, impersonal, environment-leeching culture is the right thing for them.

I'm a humanities teacher myself and my husband is a scientist, so if we took DD1 out of school to homeschool instead, between us we could offer them a good education, even up to exam level. I'd give up my job - which I enjoy - but I'd be happy to do so, and we'd have to tighten our belts but it would be manageable.

But my own perspective is so clouded - I'm not sure if I'm rational or just having an existential crisis some days - and I have no idea what to do to best prepare my children for a world that is spiralling way beyond my own understanding.

WIBU to take my children out of school to set the on a trajectory that is potentially less compatible with their own future success, especially given that DD1 is enjoying school so much? Would it be selfish?

I think you need to remember the quote about being part of the steamroller rather than part of the road when it comes to tech. It's not going away!

Out of interest, where should we be headed? Presumably providing skills for that goal would be the aim of your home schooling project.

Perhaps the choice you made to go with an outstanding school is the issue. In order to become outstanding there needs to be a massive focus on attainment and data. Perhaps a school with less focus on outstanding and more focus on the woolly stuff might suit your family better?

The home projects sound like a good idea, OP. And you don't have to decide once and for all - if it gets to a point in the future where school isn't working for your dd, you can always revisit it then.

I don't know if your dd's school does Forest School, but if not, it's worth seeing if there is one in your area. It sounds like it might give her a chance to do thing you value - but of course you can still do those with her anyway, school or no school.