I was just reading the statistics for families registering to homeschool, on one website the estimate was approximately 30% of families don’t register; that is high. I understand the hesitation for not wanting to register, I really do. I contemplated not registering our family, but the positives outweighed the negatives. Hindsight is a marvellous thing, and because of it I am able to add more positives to the list and share them with you.

For us the negatives were:

Paperwork – Having to be bothered to do it. Bureaucracy, do we really want to invite it into our home?!

Homes visits – Having an authority figure in our home judging how we homeschool and ultimately how we parent.

The positives for us were Paperwork, Home Visits, Accountability, Seeing it from a child’s perspective.

Paperwork:

Having to bother to do it. We all have to show up in life and do things we sometimes don’t want to, good role modelling for Lil.  Doing the required paperwork was a great way to show what Liliana was accomplishing. Great homeschooling records documenting our days. Using the paperwork as records to help with planning year to year. But also the yearly paperwork is a great reference tool when looking at several years in a row, eg. Years 7, 8 & 9 – reflecting on these to help planning for year 10. We used year 10 as an opportunity year to try out different subjects that Lil hadn’t focused on in years 7, 8 & 9, and to also revise anything that Lil felt necessary. It gave a solid foundation for years 11 & 12.

Home visits:

Embrace the time to welcome the homeschooling supervisor into our home and show them how well Lil is doing.

Use it as a chance to show the different activities Lil is doing, eg. her herb garden, her sewing, cooking and carpentry.

A positive social interaction for Liliana with an authority figure.

Confidence building.

Great way for Lil to learn/ practice hosting skills.

There is some formality involved, experience the etiquette involved with that, learn new social skills.

Practice communication skills.

Invite constructive feedback and welcome reassurance.

I’m proud of what Liliana has achieved. Ironically, the only friend or family member who supported our homeschooling choices from the start and didn’t judge us was my cousin, who is high up in the education department. The only other person to visit our home and fully support our homeschooling choices from the start was the visiting homeschooling supervisor. How wonderful to be able to welcome someone into our home who saw every facet of our homeschooling journey and not only encouraged us, but saw Lil thriving. We were fortunate to have the same homeschooling supervisor for each visit, she was always very professional, diligent, polite and respectful. At the end of each visit she also congratulated Liliana on her progress.

Accountability:

In a character survey, one of my top five strengths was the importance of being transparent and accountable for my actions. Doing the required paperwork and home visits were a good way for me to be showing up, being held accountable, there is transparency, enabling me to hold up my end of the deal, homeschooling Liliana to the best of my capabilities.

Seeing it from a child’s perspective:

Michael and I registered Liliana from the very beginning and we found the process supportive, they want your family to thrive. We had been homeschooling for a couple of years when we were visiting another homeschooling family, a family who didn’t register with the relevant authorities. The mother bought up the subject and was boasting that she didn’t care if it was against the law or if the police showed up because her daughter wasn’t registered in a school or home education. She also bragged that she couldn’t be bothered to do the legally required paperwork. I looked over to see the scared look on her daughter’s face. Her and Liliana had stopped playing and were quietly sitting nearby listening in, to be honest, they both looked quite petrified. I changed the subject to something lighter, after all this was a fun playdate. I’m not here to judge anyone for their choices nor sit in someone else’s home and be judged or lectured for doing something that felt right for our family. On the way home in the car, Liliana was very quiet. I asked Lil what she thought about her friend not being registered with homeschooling and what the mother had been saying. Obviously Lil had been thinking about it and took no time to reply: she was grateful that we weren’t breaking the law because she would be scared that we (Michael & I) would get in trouble or she would get in trouble and the police would come. I’m glad I had this insight from Lil, and it did make  me think – how could we be raising her to have a healthy respect for the law and then for us to be breaking it by homeschooling her and not registering her. From the very beginning of homeschooling I’ve always had this in mind – it is not what I say, but what I do, actions speak louder than words and I need to lead by example.

At the end of Liliana’s homeschooling she has a Year 12 certificate. She wouldn’t have had anything if we weren’t registered, nothing to show for her dedication and education. Holding that Year 12 certificate in her hand  for the first time was a very proud moment – she framed it straight away!

I’m enjoying mentoring a homeschooling Mum who reached out to me after she saw my advertising.  If you would like to book a session or have questions about booking a session please be in touch.

Much Love, Jude x