Not necessarily. Many parents worry that their child will fall behind if they don’t begin formal home education right away. However, starting too soon can sometimes do more harm than good — especially if the school environment was stressful or traumatic.

Most children benefit from a short period of de-schooling before structured learning begins. This transition time helps them to:

• emotionally decompress and rebuild confidence,
• reconnect with their family rhythm,
• rediscover interests, passions, and curiosity,
• adjust to a more relaxed and personalised learning environment, and
• build a support network with local home education families.

De-schooling is not “falling behind”; it is an investment in your child’s long-term wellbeing and readiness to learn. Once they feel secure and settled, you can gradually introduce a learning routine or curriculum that fits their needs.

• Prev
• Next