School

Our little one is only 8 months old but I’ve considered home schooling (obviously in future!), I hear a lot of negative things about schools from friends and even getting her in to a local school however if you find a good one I think it can be great for social skills and being able to do trips etc but I’m not really sure what’s right 🥴 it’s a minefield! I’m sorry you felt you needed to go incognito also, you shouldn’t get any abuse for trying to figure out what’s best for you and your family, one size doesn’t fit all and parenthood is hard enough without judgement! Xx

Homeschooling is a great choice. Also, nowadays they’re homeschooling groups etc so he doesn’t necessary need to stop socialising because that wouldn’t be good for him. If it doesn’t work he can always go to school later on ☺️. I also agreed with you, I think 5 days a week is a lot for them when they’re so small so if you have the opportunity to stay at home with him go for it, enjoy him as much as you can 😊

I’ve also considered it 😊 my son is 19 months so fast approaching school age. I follow a few people on Instagram who homeschool and it seems to be a great choice for their families. I wouldn’t even know where to start with it, it’s a bit information overload! I also know lots of people who send their children to nursery/preschool 5 days a week and they love it! Every family is different. Do whatever you feel is right, there’s no wrong decision when you’ve got your child’s best interests at heart x

I was homeschooled for most of elementary school and was absolutely miserable because I’m a very social and outgoing person just like your son. I absolutely hated it and improved so much the second I was put into regular school. I was instantly happier, my grades shot up and I was much more interested in learning since I was surrounded by friends. I would honestly never recommend homeschooling to anyone - my mom was a teacher before staying at home with us but even with the best preparation and support system it’s so easy for it to go wrong. I have so many peers from our homeschooling group I still keep in touch with who were never able to really master the social skills they missed out on. A lot of them struggle with crippling social anxiety, dropped out of high school or college or struggle to keep a job and I genuinely believe it’s because they missed out on those basic social skills that are so important as a young child. It’s your choice but from experience I never would.

How old?

I listened to a really interesting radio show on homeschooling which massively changed my mind to it (in a positive way!) the children went on to do amazing things and a lot of them went onto uni and did incredibly well, the only negative was some of them said they struggled to relate to past experiences with their peers and sometimes made bonding over shared experiences harder, but overall it was super positive. I think it would be amazing to be able to do a bit of both which is what one family did, they took their children traveling for half the school year

@Grace he will be 4 going into reception

Im going to be homeschooling my baby girl ...

Before I even fell pregnant I was fully set on homeschooling, now my daughters 6 months old and I’m more sure than ever that that’s the route we’ll be taking. We’ve already joined a few homeschooling groups in our area so that I can get to know more of the parents and get some insights from them😊 Even as a solo parent it’s still the better choice for me and my daughter and I can’t just imagine sending her to school (unless she tells me she wants to go). There are so many different ways you can do it and I absolutely love that you can tailor your child’s education to best suit their needs 😊

Based on my conversations with several homeschoolers whose kids are grown there are pluses and minuses to every choice. Success is really in what is easiest for you to commit to - in homeschooling being their teacher/guide ( they have to accept you as such) and bending over backwards to make sure they feel confident about their social development ( it's not the lack of opportunities that cause anxiety for well homeschooled kids, it's that they get extra scrutiny on their social skills from everyone they interact with outside the homeschool group). In a school situation it's really about being there to process all the stuff that happens in school and being willing to get involved and seek cooperation from teachers and administrators when needed. It just depends where ones highest altitude is. I got to do one year of prek during the pandemic, but she never accepted me as her guide and socially I just don't have the energy to provide that many opportunities to experience cooperation and completion with peers

i teach at an outdoor preschool, i recommend looking up alternative schools in your area- you’ll be surprised what you find!

Is it possible to do a half day? My son will go to preschool for a half day when he’s three. I think it’ll be good for him but I wouldn’t want a full day of school until he’s 6. But it’s up to you what you think you can do.

@Grace unfortunately not possible in the UK. They have to be in school at the age of 4 from 8:50am to 3:30pm 5 days a week or homeschooled

Just jumping on this one here, it’s different based on every local council but have a look into flexischooling for your area! Some areas allow you to register for a minimum of an hour a week in school and the rest can be home schooling, others are a bit less (my own area is a max of one day flexi school and the rest has to be in school or home schooled), hope this helps! X

Oh that’s too bad, I personally think it’s a long day to go all day at 3-5 years old, I think most 6-year-olds can handle it.