Why are more parents homeschooling now, or making the choice to homeschool their children, after having spent some time in a school situation? For that matter, there are a great many teachers that have made the decision to homeschool their own children. As the number of parents making this choice has increased quite significantly, the concept is gaining more traction and interest in people who have never considered it before. It has also caught the attention of the government who are about to attempt an extreme over reach of their authority.

There are many reasons for such a choice and I’d like to elaborate on some of the reasons why we specifically chose to homeschool our kids, my grandkids. If I’d had the resources and confidence when my daughter was sick with Leukemia, I would have chosen to homeschool her then. Other parents have different reasons for making this decision and are equally valid, which I will also be including here. If considering this lifestyle for yourself, I’ll leave this quote for you to ponder as you read this article.

When a child enters our schooling system they are delivered the Australian Curriculum. The document is quoted to say “The Australian Curriculum sets the expectations for what all young Australians should be taught, regardless of where they live in Australia or their background.” This statement alone demonstrates that regardless of a child’s background, individual ability, learning ability etc., if left up to the government every child is stamped with the same expectations and abilities at the same level, hence why there should be alternative avenues for education. Homeschooling offers a higher quality, lower pressure, personalised education at the child’s pace.

Homeschooling is a Personal Choice Not Something to be Governed by Bureaucrats Who Know Nothing About Our Children

Homeschooling is a hot topic in Queensland Australia at the moment because of new governmental attempts to bring it more fully under their control. Up until now, homeschooling in Australia has been a personal choice for parents who can choose what they teach their children instead of being restricted to the Australian Curriculum. Thus far, the only Government involvement is that as long as the children are registered with the HEU (Home Education Unit) and parents submit detailed plans and reports of their child’s proposed quality education and progress, the subject matter can be catered to individual child’s needs. Which is an agreement that has been working well for everyone.

Recently Di Farmer, a newly appointed Education Minister in Queensland, Australia has proposed a new bill to force homeschooled children to align with, and follow, only the Australian Curriculum. It was even alluded to by the media that homeschooling families were seen as part of some kind of cult. These proposed legislation changes give people the impression that somehow homeschooling parents are failing and therefore restrictions need to be put in place. But where is the evidence for this? Homeschool parents were not even brought in to provide arguments against this proposed legislation.

We can assume that this has come about due to the huge rise in people taking their children out of mainstream school to school them at home instead. The proposed new legislation has really got the homeschooling community up in arms because it is an extreme governmental over-reach, with no consideration whatsoever given to the families who have chosen homeschool for their own personal reasons. I see a huge similarity to what we’ve seen with the recent lockdowns and covid vaccine mandates, imposing on people’s rights to live their lives as they wish and taking their decision making freedom away. Instead of what it truly is, an effort to control the population, it’s being done under the guise of ensuring that all children have access to a “quality education”. I’d be interested to know where they have drawn their data from that shows there is a problem that needs to be rectified.

What homeschooling parents and children deem to be a quality education is much more than what the Australian Curriculum offers in the way that homeschooling in comparison is highly varied, evolved from understanding their own children like no one else can, and individualised to the child’s needs, interests and abilities. The government seem only interested in creating a society of carbon copy children indoctrinated with the ideas put forth to them by the current agendas.

Having spent their childhood conforming to everything the government want them to learn and think, and having no say whatsoever in what they learn, they emerge from school into society with set beliefs and act accordingly. I saw it in my own bachelor degree that only one school of thought is taught leaving the idea that this is the only way of doing things. The broader perspective or scope that homeschooled kids naturally develop include a variety of ways to look at the world. Basically, from the day children enter the education system, they are taught to become part of the herd and afraid or hesitant to wander off. Consequently most of them continue to follow everyone else in how they move forward in life.

Think back to your own belief systems. You most likely grew up thinking the expected thing to do was to go to school, get a job, work for 40 plus years, then retire with a small pension at an age when many are too old to follow dreams they had in youth. How much of that was drummed into you at school? They didn’t teach any other way, yet there are other ways to live and thrive. Perhaps that is the real reason behind this proposed bill, stopping progressive thought and keeping control of the people. Many homeschooling families don’t want this for their kids.

Who Has the Ultimate Say in What is Best For Our Kids?

We do! As parents, grandparents and caregivers, we know what will benefit our children. I believe the government can lay no claims to knowing what is best for OUR children. My question to the Minister of Education is “Do you even know why people choose to homeschool?” Because if she knew the reasoning behind a parent’s choice to homeschool, she could easily figure out that this approach of making every child in Australia learn the curriculum, and nothing but the curriculum, has not been working for all children and hasn’t been for some time. We want more for our children than what the curriculum provides.

Parents know their children better that anyone and this makes them more qualified to make an educational decision based on what they know are their child’s capabilities and limitations, more than the limited vision of a bureaucrat who seems to think all children are made equal, are at the same level and will all perform equally. Tailoring an educational program to your own child’s interests and abilities is the keystone of what makes homeschooling a quality education for that child, not some outdated curriculum that doesn’t account for the varied interests and abilities of the children having to work in this system. Plus, we have the advantage of being able to work with a trial and error method to find what works best for them. The number of homeschooled children who excel at everything they do is significant. Many homeschooled children have continued on and completed university degrees earlier than children who are attending school, yet those same children would most likely fail in the school system.

For the people reading this who aren’t Australian, you would probably have a similar style of Curriculum wherever in the world you are and so this article about why parents choose to homeschool is still relevant. To those of you considering homeschooling, it is not as hard as it sounds and much of it becomes a natural process. However being forced into following the Australian Curriculum will most likely turn people away from homeschooling as a viable option because they will believe they are not capable of teaching it. The Australian Curriculum was designed for teachers who are trained in it and are teaching in a classroom setting. I dread to think what it will do to our kids if this bill is passed. The standard ‘box’ of the curriculum has no room for growth or thinking outside of it and is more likely to stifle our children.

What is in Your Child’s Best Interests?

The Education Minister has also indicated that homeschooling parents will have to prove that homeschooling is in the best interests of their child which means it will no longer be a parental choice if her bill gets passed, it will become a governmental choice instead. I ask her if she truly had the child’s best interests in mind, why would she impose a law that enforces that they can only learn what the government establishments want them to learn and in the way that they want them to learn? They say that they will be taking into consideration that there are children with disabilities, but then, this new legislation is meant to help teachers as well. But many children with disabilities and some without, need one on one attention. How is this helping teachers if it means that they are putting even more care into making sure a child with disabilities is learning the same things at the same rate as neurotypical children? Its just not feasible in my opinion and teachers are already under so much pressure as it is? And what if the child simply doesn’t understand these particular topics or subject matter but is brilliant at a subject outside the realm of the curriculum? They will be set up to fail from the get go. How is this helping them?

Allowing these same children to thrive and grow and have their natural abilities nourished and developed, and have them full of confidence in themselves with their self-esteem in tact, should be the first and foremost consideration in whether homeschooling or mainstream schooling is right for that child. And certainly not by using the stock standard measuring stick that the curriculum and education system currently have in place and are presuming will be right for every child.

The school system for that matter, doesn’t suit many home education student’s needs – For example, children do not develop at the same rate as each other and therefore are not capable of fitting nice an neatly into one size fits all box. When the system doesn’t work for some, all it will do is cause damage to our beautiful children. We all see education as important but there needs to remain a choice about what that education is comprised of. Homeschooling provides the alternative solution to an outdated and non-inclusive system. For many families it’s the only solution.

In Homeschooling, a parent can still choose if they want to use the curriculum, or explore one or a combination of the many other avenues of providing a quality education. There are many ways parents and caregivers can achieve this at home. You’ll find a few ways to educate your kids outside of an actual school environment here.

What Are the Benefits of Homeschooling Vs Mainstream School?

• Kids with disabilities, can work at a level and speed that they are capable of and find success and ultimately feel good about themselves. As a result they will be well=adjusted, have confidence and high self-esteem.
• Children who were bullied at school don’t have anxiety and fear surrounding school anymore and can safely recover in the security of home and not have it impact their ability to learn.
• Those kids whose capabilities in some areas are lacking will be able to do the work that can be set at their own level.
• Children who are struggling with health concerns, such as a child with Leukemia, can still be educated and not miss any schoolwork. This could prevent them having gaps in their learning when they go back to school because they missed foundational lessons in their absence.
• A child with separation anxiety does not have to be separated from their parent before they are ready.
• Children that don’t cope well with high expectations can work in their realm of abilities.
• If children have fallen behind due to individual and differing circumstances, and as a result are not up to speed, they can catch up without worrying about being compared to their peers. Homeschooled children do not generally fall behind because they are always working at their level until they master it and move forward.
• For some children school can be too fast paced, for example those kids with processing issues. With homeschooling they can take their time without the consequences of a school environment. They won’t fail a subject because they didn’t finish it in a specified time.
• Children who work on a different intellect, can be catered to.
• With nervous kids, the causes of their worries are often brought to light and eliminated as many have been a school related concern.
• There is great flexibility in what, when and where the learning takes place. Not bound by school hours or even the home, and you can do things outside of school holidays, during weekdays, on weekends, in the evening, or even on a family trip etc.
• You don’t have to follow a school routine and spend all day doing schoolwork or learning. You have the choice of how long or how often you spend doing any learning activities. Some people only spend an hour a day on learning, others might do everything in one day, others spread it out across the days of the week. It can be fit perfectly into the family routine.
• No need for inadequate and problematic Naplan testing that does not allow for different levels of understanding or ability.
• No children accidentally fall through the gaps and being left behind. You’ve got their back.
• Having choice about what they learn means each homeschooled child has the opportunity to thrive and become valuable citizens one day, instead of driving them into pits of despair when they can’t do it the standard way that school expects.
• If your child can’t see the point of the topics or subject matter of the curriculum, then they simply won’t want to learn it. Them being able to choose what they learn for themselves usually results in high achievers without pushing them to do the work, or the fights to complete projects or assignments. They are naturally drawn to learn more. My granddaughter fought tooth and nail against anything set by the school, and also us when we took her out of school to homeschool. To the point that she refused to do anything if you even mentioned the word “learning”. We realised that a lot of it was because we initially thought we HAD to use the curriculum and so bought a program that used it. We eventually realised that school had caused her so much trauma that even that program was too much of a reminder of school and she just refused it. Luckily we had the freedom of trial and error to find what suited her best. And now she has a reignited love of learning and embarks on it herself.
• Many children find absolutely no interest in what the curriculum teaches! Thus they become frustrated and disengaged and depressed. Why not allow them to tell you or show you what interests them and you have yourself a way to find educational material that matches it? You learn to see what lessons and subject matter is automatically covered in what they are teaching themselves.
• The Australian Curriculum is not varied enough for all children.
• With homeschooling, a child’s natural abilities are nourished and developed.
• Many homeschoolers, because of their diverse opportunities to learn without the confinement of the Australian Curriculum, have the ability to become leaders of innovation, invention and new ideas.
• They get to work outside of the ideologies imposed on them by the school system and as a result become critical thinkers and therefore more discerning in what they believe, they learn to research and come to their own conclusions.
• Homeschooled children are not over-exposed to the concerning direction the education system has been taking over the past few years, such as with the Safe Schools Program. I’m all for inclusivity, but I don’t need things pushed on my children or grandchildren that goes against what has long been considered natural human behaviour before they are old enough to understand what it all means. This form of education breeds nothing but confusion about things that for most people are biologically or genetically inherent.
• Homeschooled children can follow their dreams and and passions and investigate many avenues of educating themselves, many do extraordinarily in subject areas outside of the curriculum.
• Many homeschooled children enter tertiary education earlier than their peers if they choose an academic pathway. Just because a child is homeschooled, the avenue of university is not blocked for them if they want to go down that route.
• Homeschooled kids tend to be self aware and are already “finding themselves” throughout their educational years. They might even surpass their peers because they are not limited to the constraints of the education system. They have a broader, unlimited scope.
• A child’s self esteem can be eroded at school and they can become miserable and even suicidal. In homeschooling, there is no need to compare themselves to others and as a result, happier and well-adjusted kids are created. Ones who are confident and know their own worth, which isn’t based on scores and grades.
• Homeschoolers glean a lot of life skills and can concentrate on areas of interest to them and those things that will benefit them in their future endeavours and career options.
• Children are more actively engaged with their own learning, are self-directed and enthusiastic when following their passions, interests and projects.
• The bond between parents and children who are homeschooled is strong, appreciated and something all families should be able to achieve.
• Homeschooling means that you get your lives back as a family, where children remain with you for you to play a bigger role in their lives. Something that has become rare nowadays when children are away from their parents for 6 or more hours per day, 5 days a week.
• Many parents are still able to work, some from home, and still homeschool their children because of the flexibility.

The question of why are more parents homeschooling has become quite a popular one and shows that more and more people are considering their own options for the education of their children. There are many reasons why a person would choose a different way of doing things than the norm and many reasons why a person would prefer sticking with what they know. I hope I have been able to shed some light on some of those reasons and it helps you come to your own decision on whether to choose homeschooling or not. Just remember, that it is not as difficult as it seems. I believe the flak the education minister is receiving about this new legislation will put an end to it and homeschooling families will be able to continue educating their children in a way that is best suited to them. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best because one way or the other, families and what is right for them should be the main consideration.

Thank you for reading. If you would like to leave a comment below or reach out to me on my dedicated Facebook page, please do.

Warm Wishes

Ange