When this new school year hasn't turned out any better than the last one....

Hey you,

I wanted to write you a little note, from one parent to another, if you have found yourself wondering lately if school just isn't the best fit for your kid - and you've found yourself googling 'should I home educate instead?'.

You may well have a young person in your life who is not doing so great at school. You said you would give it one last try, maybe a new teacher would help, maybe you are so close to getting that EHCP, maybe it will just magically resolve when they make a new friend....

I wanted to make sure you understood something, because I think you are probably being told the opposite a little too often by the school, maybe your friends, maybe the voice comes from within saying....

That you are coddling them.

That you aren't helping them to build resilience if you let them stop going to school.

That you are to blame.

That you are failing them if you 'give in'.

That they will lose all their friends.

That you won't be able to cope.

That you aren't getting along and having them home all the time is seriously daunting.

That you won't be able to afford it.

That it's a last resort.

I want you, so desperately, to understand that where some of this is just simply untrue, the rest has solutions - fixes - support and guidance, great communities, people who genuinely care and want this transition to go well for you. That home education is of EQUAL LEGAL status to school, it is not a back up or last resort, it can be a fantastic opportunity for your family to realise they have choices.

Sure, it is different and that might boggle your brain badly right now, but like every other hard thing you have tackled before - you have figured it out and I have faith in you that you are capable of doing that.

By choosing to listen to your child, to support their individual needs you will feel a freedom you haven't known yourself. Where you allow them to grow skills in handling their emotions in a place of safety, as opposed to one maybe filled with anxiety or fear, they can learn resilience in a positive way.

You are allowed.

You aren't failing them and nor will you get into trouble with anyone.

You are about to feel the most empowered and capable you have ever felt.

You are about to start really questioning our societal standards and stop measuring your little family against them so harshly.

You are about to help your child realise that learning is life and life is learning and that ultimately we have so much we can possibly do with our existence.

Sure, you are going to have tough days, weeks, months - like anyone else, you are going to have life happen to you and it isn't always going to be perfect. But let's face it, you have an authority here - the authority to command your existence in a way you have never imagined embracing.

If you read to here you now need to do something else and book a free call with me, I want to hold your hand as you make this decision - I want to see you enter into home ed feeling calm and grounded and ready.

I am a coach and mentor for parents just like you, who want more - more joy, more patience, more enthusiasm, less anxiety, stress or fear around education. Who want their kids thriving and striving on their own steam.

You can find out more about working with me at kellyrigg.mykajabi.com, and hear more real conversations like this over on The BIG Home Ed Conversations podcast — also on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and follow along on Instagram and TikTok @bighomeedpodcast.