Hi,
(I haven't done a blog post this personal before, but I have a point I want to make and the best way I can see to make it, is to refer to my personal experience.)
Home education is a very interesting subject, and I have been home educated for almost 5 years now; but accepting home education is difficult for the children, the parents and everyone else. To explain home education and my views on this I will give you a link to an earlier blog post I wrote, I think this is my best post yet since this is an important subject and writing this I felt I have had my say on home ed.
http://utterlyinvisibleteengirl.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/5-reasons-to-love-home-education-or-not.html
So just 5 years ago being home educated was the last thing I wanted. When my Mum first asked me about it I said, NO WAY! I thought that it would mean being constantly supervised and made to work extra hard. My Mum on the other hand first found out about home ed. when my cousins started it. They are very structured but my auntie thought it was great, and persuaded my parents, to read a book called Free Range Education. The link to the book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Range-Education-Home-Works/dp/1903458072
When my Dad bought the book my Mum read it and was fascinated. She researched the concept of home education until she was sure it was what she wanted for us all. Many of our friends and family have been opposed to the whole idea but because of my Mum we are now home educated and happy about it. My Dad quickly discovered it and soon I was telling all my friends. Some of them were supportive but most of them were unsure and sometimes even mean about it. I was shocked not only at my friends reaction but also the way their parents disapproved and there are still some people today who 'Are not supposed to hang out with me' because I am home schooled.
Without support from the people we knew Mum looked online, and for the first year of our home ed, we spent a lot of time talking to other home educators, swapping advice stories and support. We went to a weekly home education group and our day was reasonably structured as Mum encouraged us to do 'educational' things like workbooks. We watched documentaries and we did basic schedules keeping some sort of routine. The first 2 years were the hardest, Mum threatened to send us back to school a lot and I had nightmares about going back and about the time I spent there. I hadn't realised how stressed I was until I left. My eczema cleared up, I slept better, got ill less and I had more energy and less worries. after 2 years I hardly got any school dreams any more.
The process of becoming used to autonomous living and de-stressing is called deschooling.
It took us approximately 2 years.
People always judge quickly and I don't mind people disapproving of my education any more, but it is also none of their business how I choose to live my life, and how my Mum decides to educate her children. We haven't had such a bad time as other people, like the people who were really hurt by school or who have had unhelpful authorities and family. One thing I can say for this experience is I found out who my real friends are.
After almost 5 years I can only just now say that I don't feel that I need to constantly defend my education. I feel proud of it almost. I don't tell people I am Home educated when I first meet them, as I want them to judge me for myself not my education but I guess one day I will feel more comfortable with that too. For now I can say that I am happy enough with my life, and confident enough in my judgement and choice in education and lifestyle that I can proudly say 'I am Home Educated' and not feel that I have to justify it.
I hope many other home educated children (And their parents) can feel comfortable as I do, and I hope people will not hate us because we are different, but research it, and either change their mind and give us a chance, or challenge us with a reasoned argument.
Bye
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