Any Parents who were HE as kids on here??

[horseshoe]

How do you feel as an adult about being in HE? Do you feel you missed out in any way at all?

Yes, but had no choice asl ived abroad in middle of nowhere.
I can see why people HE but I don't agree with it.

hi moondog

sorry just saw this thread now can i ask you why???

thanks bridget

My adult daughter was HE'd until she was 9. Her chief complaints are:

1. she can't find a specialty because she likes so many different things and is fairly good at whatever she tries;
2. she didn't learn early enough how to be catty; and
3. she feels socially awkward because she isn't so good at "small talk" and prefers to discuss issues and events.

She's 22 and is an expert of criticizing my parenting. On the other hand, she fully supports me HE'ing her five year old brother. But, I think that's because we can afford more lessons this time around.

Poetmum - I'm hopeless at small talk too and I blame all of the crappy schools that I went too.

Oh yes, I am a social embarrassment when it comes to small talk.
I went to school the whole way through.

Good to know I didn't damage her small talk ability by keeping her home.

I was HE'd all through my childhood. I went to college at 17, after doing all my exams from home.

I found that it gave me a huge degree of flexibility and choice over my education, and I was able to develop my interests and work at my own pace. I have a few close friends from childhood, and a large group of friends who I met at drama college.

Socially, I was quite like my dad until I got to about 15/16 - i.e. socially awkward in some situations and not into small talk and so on. I always took part in groups and activities as a child, and had great friends there, but didn't like taking part in activities, such as creative writing group, where children were being disruptive - it used to frustrate and annoy me.

As an adult, I have lots of friends and am educationally successful - 3 A-Levels, HND Acting, HNC Childcare and qualified nursery nurse, OU courses, and Mensa member. Socially, I am a professional actor, so spend most of my life talking to people and presenting myself well in public. I still hate small talk though, and I have never learnt how to bitch - I keep well out of that at work!

If not being able to 'bitch' is a unexpected benefit of home-ed, bring it on.

I was HE until I was 11. I do feel I missed out on a lot (and gained a lot too) - but I haven't got time for more now. Happy to post at length (this is a hobby horse of mine) later if anyone's interested.

hello everyone

yes seeker post at as much length as you like am interested, thanks everyone else it was interesting to read
bridget

But isn't it the case that sometimes the reason people choose to HE is because their children are 'socially awkward' - chicken and egg iykwim.

FWIW I don't do bitching either, and I went to a girls school. I personally think that I got my social conscience and ability to relate to people from a variety of circumstances from the schools I went to (in particular, the primary school my mum chose for me). But that's not to say that this can't be encouraged via HE. I'd like to think that I am modelling it to my daughter at the moment (well, not right now obviously. Am modelling 'ignore your kids while you are on mumsnet')

Another socially awkward person here and I went right through the school system. If I was going to put a time on when I began to feel awkward, I would say during the 5y I was at secondary school. Was fine up until that.