We often think of tidying as a skill that must be drilled into children—another responsibility for parents to enforce alongside table manners and bedtime routines. Yet what if tidying is less about constant reminders and more something absorbed through experience, modelling, and natural curiosity? Much like learning to read, children don’t necessarily need pressure toContinue reading “Three Little Whirlwinds and a Messy Home: Finding Peace in the Chaos”
Category Archives: Homeschooling
Gentle Parenting & Unschooling in Public: Navigating Judgments and Staying True to Your Values
Dealing with External Pressure: Staying Confident in Your Gentle, Unschooling Family Choosing gentle parenting and unschooling means forging a path guided by empathy, respect, and trust in your child’s innate curiosity. But what happens when your approach is met with skepticism, criticism, or unsolicited advice from others? This blog post delves into the real-life challengesContinue reading “Gentle Parenting & Unschooling in Public: Navigating Judgments and Staying True to Your Values”
Not Just Homeschooling: The UK’s Child-Centred ‘Home Education’ Movement
There is a nuanced distinction in terminology and philosophy between the US and UK approaches, emphasising that in the UK “home education” is a broader, more flexible, and child-led concept compared to the more school-like connotation of “homeschooling”.
Home Education: When Community Looks Different—Honouring Every Child’s Path
While home education collaboratives are often celebrated for their vibrant community and social opportunities, the reality is that every family’s journey is unique—especially for those with shy, sensitive, or introverted children. The stereotype of the isolated homeschooler sometimes fits, not because home education is failing, but because some children simply thrive in quieter, smaller settingsContinue reading “Home Education: When Community Looks Different—Honouring Every Child’s Path”
Poem About Unschooling: The Way We Wander
In a world that often measures success by grades and schedules, unschooling offers a gentle, heart-centred alternative that honours each child’s natural curiosity and unique path. For our family, this approach means embracing learning through life’s everyday moments—whether it’s picking up litter to protect wildlife, exploring new places, or simply playing freely and safely atContinue reading “Poem About Unschooling: The Way We Wander”
Why Our Kids’ Freedom Means More Stress for Us
Have you ever felt torn between wanting your child to be independent and worrying about what might happen if you let go? You’re not alone. Autonomy is defined as “the ability to make your own decisions without being controlled by anyone else”. Thinking of our kids, the more control we give our children, the less stress they experience. As children gain autonomy, parents naturallyContinue reading “Why Our Kids’ Freedom Means More Stress for Us”
Home Educating Poem: What The First Year Taught Us
Although I’m writing this in 2025, with over 3 years unschooling under the belt, I found all my old poems the other day. This is one I wrote when we reached the first year of home educating milestone. That first year taught me such a lot, so I guess you could say homeschooling is notContinue reading “Home Educating Poem: What The First Year Taught Us”
3 Years Since… We Started Unschooling
Wow! I’ve not done a blog post on this site for 3 years. This is pretty much the same period since my oldest daughter turned compulsory school age. My life, on the other hand, has been far from quiet. We now have two 6.5 year olds and an 8 year old, so in fact, itContinue reading “3 Years Since… We Started Unschooling”
Y(O)UR WORLD: Poem Explaining To Children About Why We Homeschool
My daughter’s best friend is a local school girl. That school girl took me by surprise recently and asked why I chose not to send our children to school. I did not know how to explain. On the back of that conversation, I wrote this poem trying to consider the key reasons we unschool. ItContinue reading “Y(O)UR WORLD: Poem Explaining To Children About Why We Homeschool”
First Homeschooling Worry Resolved: Reminder to Trust In My Child
When you go down the opposite path to the majority of our society, it can be hard to trust that your child will learn what they need for a successful life. My daughter learning to write is our first personal reminder to trust my child on her learning journey. My first worry was not aboutContinue reading “First Homeschooling Worry Resolved: Reminder to Trust In My Child”
Gentle Parent 