Tag Archives: home schooling

Starting out on the Home Education journey

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First published in Education Otherwise newsletter, Summer 2012

I would like to share with you our first step down the exciting yet challenging road of home education. My first tentative footstep landed after a number of well-meaning but revealing enquiries by friends, family and acquaintances. My son is not yet two, yet I have been asked more times than I can remember whether and/or when he is going to day-nursery or pre-school.

Following my instinct

Feeling this pressure to conform caused me to seriously consider my son’s future. Packing him off to nursery at such a tender age just didn’t feel right. Having already made the decision to be a stay-at-home Mum, to full-term breastfeed, to bed-share, baby-wear, etc, many practices already against the grain, making the decision to home educate my son came easily, but far from lightly. Following my mothering instinct has helped me build a content life for my family, one where my son is securely attached and is discovering who he is. To break this flow by sending him to nursery is not something I feel I can do.
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Stepping out of the box and dealing with criticism

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This post is part of the; Authentic Parenting May Carnival

My son, my teacher

My son is my greatest teacher. In our first meeting our eyes locked as he looked, all knowing and serene, into my eyes shining with wonder. He communicated, with a depth amazing for a newborn, that it was all OK, that he would show me the way. Each and every day he keeps this first unspoken promise, teaching me to listen to him and to my mothering instincts, to really trust nature.

Which path

There are moments when I am swayed by mainstream society, becoming a sheep plodding along the well trodden, comfortable path, craving approval, normality and recognition. At such times all I must do is stop, question, and look to my son to steer me back to the right path. Yet this path is little travelled in this modern age, weeds tangle and knot as tree trunks lie haphazardly blocking the way, ancient wisdom and primordial practices, half lost, so difficult to find amongst the debris.

Walking this lonely path I eagerly look for other like-minded souls. I find a few and stumble upon others who are supportive and appreciative of this alternative style, even if they choose not to practice it themselves. I also begin to search the virtual world, one of the many wonders of our modern age, sharing my parenting style through writing. I find a growing online community who listen, applaud and reflect on my words, as I in turn listen and learn from theirs.

Support groups are also a lifeline to me, one an informal weekly meeting between local mum friends, the other a local La Leche League group. I also find wisdom in natural parenting literature, including research about the benefits of attachment parenting, which helps affirm my belief what I am doing is right. My cousin recently pointed out that my parenting is an example of research-based practice, which to a certain extent is true, although my son is by far greatest teacher, research often backs-up my practice.

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