Our Story

When I was younger all I wanted to be was as a teacher. I thrived in school and looked up to most of my teachers. I wanted to please them. I never handed any work in late and in my later years went above and beyond to get great grades. I fitted the mould perfectly. I loved school. So did my husband and in actual fact we met during school at 16 and have been inseparable ever since. For the most part, school was a happy place for both of us and we have fond memories of it.

I went on to teach primary school and fell in love with each of my students as if they were my own kids. They will forever have a place in my heart  A few years into teaching, our son, Hunter, was born. He was here to change our world in ways we didn’t know possible. From the moment he was born I envisioned him attending the school I taught at and becoming a part of the school community I loved so dearly. At 2 weeks old I showed him around the buildings and whispered in his ear about how he would run around the hallways and make friends for a lifetime in these walls. Homeschooling was not at all on the radar, let alone unschooling.

I went back to teaching 5 months after he was born and I loved it. The school community was everything to me but over the next few years, slowly but surely all that glistened was no longer golden. The school buildings didn’t feel like home any more. I longed for more time with Hunter. School assessment, something which I once viewed as important, become a meaningless task I didn’t value any more. Staff meetings were a chore and all I wanted to do was be at home. A big and unexpected shift was taking place and my whole world was about to be turned upside down.

Teachers are the true back bone of any school and they have incredible passion and love for what they do. It’s far from the 9-3:30 job you might expect. It’s long hours, it’s never shutting off, it’s a care like no other because you are working with the most magical part of our society - the kids. However, when you no longer feel that spark when you walk the halls or light up at the opportunity to spend more time with the kids then it’s time to leave. Whether you believe in the school system or not, the kids deserve a teacher who has their back at every point and I no longer did.  

Leaving teaching was bitter sweet. Countless friendships with staff, students and families. A stream of tears that were often uncontrollable, fear and doubt rattled me. Change is scary. Leaving behind what you know and once loved is scary. I had made a conscious decision to say goodbye to the most incredible community I had known..

By this point Hunter was nearly 3 and we had never discussed homeschooling as an option. We were planing to travel and on a whim we said that if we loved it so much we would just homeschool Hunter for his first year of school and then send him for Grade 1. When the words left my mouth I felt this spark inside of me and I knew in that moment homeschooling was our path. All I longed for was time together and homeschooling was exactly what would work for us. The day he was born I was changed forever. I could no longer give my love and dedication to other students or to a job that I didn’t fully align with anymore. Every part of me was for him and my future kids. Every part of me I would give to them.

Hunter is 5 now and we have a little fire cracker girl, Luna who is 1. We unschool, simply living and learning through life. Everything I learnt from the education system I endeavor to leave behind. We follow our kids lead and whole heartedly believe they will learn everything they need to in their own time and in their own way. We have built an incredible homeschool community around us, and our days are filled with laughter, play, occasional tears, friends, books and genuine soul exploding joy. It is more than okay to completely change your life, your values and start again. Tune into what makes your heart sign and follow it! It is not always easy doing something different, there were and still are many steps along the way. It takes continual deschooling for us as parents, dealing with judgement, feelings of fear, uncertainty and doubt but it’s all worth it!

In sharing our story, sharing my thoughts, beliefs and experiences, it is my hope that you not only feel inspired to homeschool but you feel confident and live freely whilst doing it!

Always living free,

Emilly