To think that home schooling is a bit cult like?

[WobblyWellies]

This is purely anecdotal but based on a group of friends who are all home schooling now, it makes me feel like there is a cult like element to it. There's definitely a click amongst the mums. One of my friends in the group has changed quite a bit since she started home schooling. She's almost become a bit militant about the whole thing. She often posts things on social media about how terrible schools are for children and how home schooling is much better. I feel like she's stirring things up. I am in fact a teacher but I don't push school on people I meet or social media, it's totally individual choice how you want your child educated. I'm not sure if my friend is out to convert people.

However, I do see homeschooling as a privilege to a certain extent because it relies on a parent not working (or part time) and is self funded for the majority. My friend has a house with acres of land and woods, she does loads of outdoor learning with her kids which is great but I wouldn't say it's the norm to have that.

So this group of friends are very clicky over homeschooling and it feels like a them and us scenario now.

Aibu to say it's like a cult for some people?

I liked school (the actual learning bit and much of the socialisation) but the racist bullying was pretty relentless.
My best friend was bullied on a daily basis, for example.
It was white middle class church school. You could count African and African descent and Asians all on one hand.

(The "aw" wasn't supposed to be comical, btw... so apologies if I've said the wrong thing)

Apologies if I took it incorrectly

I entered the UK as an older child and it was difficult to slot in. Sensitive and plus, right now, a half bottle of wine

School is very often a great way to meet people from a wide range of backgrounds and views, athough not always.

However it's not the only way. Our home educated children meet a wide range of people. From retierd neighbours, neighbourhood kids, (we live in an area of social housing, but in a otherwise middle class village so quite a range of people interms of social economic background), church goers in two different denominations, people in sports clubs, international students we invite for meals, some of my husband's co workers and my previous co workers, children in two very different home education groups, people they do vollenteer work alongside, people at youth camps, they go sailing with a family freind and know people at the sailing club.

My oldest daughter has been entering the world of work and grown up life and seems to be doing well enough with coworkers and customer service so far.

DD went to Rainbows, Brownies and Guides. Disappointingly, all the girls stayed in cliques with girls from their own schools and didn't mix or make friends with girls from other schools. DD wanted to mix more, but it didn't happen.

Here here!! Thank you for saying what I think!
Just such a judgemental thread with a disrespectful title.

starkravingdadblog.com/life-without-school-podcast/turning-the-ohhhh-you-homeschool-questions-around/

I have 3 DCs all have been to school. My eldest has just left year 11. Youngest ds has a health condition and attends school.

My middle Ds is 15 and has always really struggled with school, he is asd with pda profile. He couldn't cope and struggled with the whole of school, he didn't form meaningful friendships and was always in trouble and being punished while not understanding or shall we say not learning from the endless detentions and isolation time. We had battles every day and school refusal and dire attendance and days when he did not attend any lessons even while in school due to being sent out of lessons and spending most of the day wondering the corridors.

I removed him in year 8, before covid. He was doing great but then when all 3 dcs were at home during covid he struggled again, trying to work with others. The scratching of the pen on paper, the turning of pages in a book, the clicking of the keys on the laptop, the breathing too loudly, you get the idea!

He then suddenly decided that he wanted to return to school last sept. I fully supported his decision. He lasted until jan and was in full on autistic burnout. He couldn't conform to the rules and regulations that he thought were 'stupid and didn't make sense'

Now at home again hes has grown and developed into a great character, he has a really good best friend, hes the most social he has ever been in his life. He even has a little Saturday job (his choice) and is doing brilliant by not worrying about the constraints of school.

I am not against school and home education would not suit my other 2 dcs but for him it is the only option. The square peg round hole analogy is perfect at describing the situation. I would let him return to school if he wanted and I am definitely not in any kind of cult. He knows about different cultures and preferences and is accepting of all people which is something I work hard with him on.

I'm not bothered that he wont get 96 gcses at grade 9s as we are only concerned with maths and English gcses and the rest of his education is focused on the things he wants to learn about and at times he is able to. I cant see him working for anyone anyway so he will likely do something for himself with his own rules and timetable.

Home education is a lifesaving option for some people and I firmly believe his mental health would have suffered greatly if forced to attend school. I think we are lucky we can choose the right form of education for our own children, as we know them best and their strengths and weaknesses and in a class of 30 + children and moving class to multiple different teachers in a day means the teachers cant possibly know whats best for all children.

Traditional school works well for some children, home education works better for others, even within the same family and it is as simple as that.

Omg sooooo long, sorry but thanks for reading if you made it to the end!!