Debbie’s Homeschool Day in the Life (with a 14- and 15-year-old) ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

A note from Jamie: Debbie, I have always admired the heartfelt way you pour yourself into your children as a homeschool mum. I feel so blessed to have gotten to meet you three in person – a gift I’ll always treasure! Thank you for sharing one final day in the life with us as we wrap up this series.
xo, Jamie

Morning

I wake to the sounds of the birds singing and sunlight peeping through the cracks in the curtains. It’s 7:45am, late for me. I’m still recovering from a bad chest infection so I’m gifting myself the grace of sleep.

Normally, I’d be up at 6:30 and out running or heading off to an early CrossFit class – my latest obsession!

Instead, I opt for a slow morning of prayer, writing down my morning thoughts, and a chance to chat to my husband with hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea. Neither teen will be up for a while. I’m eternally grateful that homeschooling provides this flexibility to shift our entire day to suit their new adolescent need to sleep in.

By 9am, they’re both up and after a quick brekkie and shower, they’re ready to go by 9:30.

Debbie’s Homeschool Day in the Life (with a 14- and 15-year-old)

To Work…

Harry and I start with his economics. He’s planning on taking an exam (a GCSE) in this subject, along with maths, in the summer. This week, he’s studying globalisation and multinationals.

Initially, we work through a Kenyan case study. He answers questions and we discuss the companies mentioned, such as Unilever, and the brands they own. Today, I can relate his work to a real-life situation as my husband James’ company has just bought part of a French data company in order to enter the French market.

After a while, I leave Harry to read and summarise the next section.

Meanwhile Rosie has started on her English, as this summer she’ll sit exams in both Literature and Language. Today, she’s working through a practice Language exam paper, but with no time pressure. Before she tackles each longer question, we read the extracts together and discuss her approach, weaving in the techniques she’s learned over the last few months.

By 10:30am, I have space to focus on prepping lunch, our main meal of the day. Today though, my heart sinks as I realise that I’d optimistically planned beef stew. This takes 3 hours to simmer, and the meat is frozen.

This infection has knocked me off my game! So, I make a quick dash to the supermarket to get ingredients for a speedy chicken stir fry.

The next part of my morning is somewhat frenetic as I juggle cooking and helping the children.

Stirring the wok with one hand, my other searches for the economics answers on my phone so I can work through another case study with Harry. Briefly we’re interrupted by Rosie asking a question and in the corner, James is getting cross with the printer!

Please tell me you can relate to the chaos…?!

Lunch

By 12:15 though, we’re all lunching, and peace is momentarily restored. I love this part of our day where it’s just the four of us chatting. Today we share fun facts and my favourite is that it’s illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland as they’re social animals and would get lonely!

After lunch, as it’s such a beautiful spring day, we go for a walk around the village. We chat about our upcoming trip to India. I explain how the 1947 Partition caused the greatest forced human migration in history.

Millions of Hindus fled to Delhi – one of the cities we’ll visit. Muslims in turn left the city for safety in newly created Pakistan.

Learning through travel is a key part of our homeschool and understanding the history of a place before you visit makes the experience that much more impactful.

Afternoon

Once home, Harry switches to maths, working on circle theorems, pretty much independently, for the rest of the afternoon. Every so often he takes little breaks, for example to try to fix the old ride-on-lawnmower, tinkering away with the engine – sadly to no avail!

Rosie meanwhile puts her writing skills into practice. She starts to craft a letter to her local Member of Parliament (MP) about an issue close to our hearts. There’s a new schools bill currently being debated in parliament.

If passed, it would substantially affect the freedom of home education in the UK.

For example, the new law means that a child with any form of special educational needs would not automatically be permitted to home educate. Instead, special permission would be required, in essence discriminating against these children.

We’ve read so many books about the oppression of minority groups and courageous individuals prepared to push back. This is Rosie’s chance to stand up and be one of the brave young voices fighting for the rights of the UK homeschool community. It’s a hard task though.

She has to park the emotion sufficiently to write a persuasive letter to her MP about her homeschool journey, how it has benefitted her, the impact of the new bill and how it could be amended. It takes her the rest of the afternoon, but it’s one of the most important tasks she’s ever done!

By 4:30 pm, they’re both done with their work for the day.

Passions

Harry and I head straight out to his evening cricket session from 5-8pm, listening to the excellent podcast – No Such Thing as A Fish – en route.

We’re a passion-led homeschool, so any opportunities to develop their passions are prioritised above all else. Harry’s dream is to be a fast-bowling cricketer for England.

He’s just signed his first contract with Kent Cricket Club, to be part of their Emerging Players Pathway, the very first rung on the ladder to playing professional cricket (but there’s a very long way to go!).

This evening, he has individual sessions to practise his bowling, batting and fielding skills. It’s followed by a specialised programme in the gym.

Back home and Rosie is following her own passion: acting. She’s joined a Zoom call with the writer of the National Connections play she’s currently rehearsing, called No Regrets.

The author talks to them about his journey in becoming a playwright and performer, offering advice for their own careers and a chance to ask questions about the play.

Evening

Later, she grabs a quick dinner and jumps on another fun call with her best friend, to chat, play games and write poetry together. James collects Harry from cricket, which leaves me with a free evening for once. I take advantage with a hot bath and my new brilliant book: City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi. Bliss! (afflink)

Once the boys are home, Harry showers and eats. He then nips off to paint his Lord of the Rings figures for the Middle Earth Strategy Battle game with which he’s currently obsessed!

By 9:30pm, we’re all exhausted, and head up to bed for a reading wind down!

It’s a full-on life this homeschool world of ours, but I’m conscious it’s partly coming to an end, with Rosie possibly going to school in September.

I’m trying – in amongst the chaos – to savour every moment with these precious children.

My, how the days have changed:

• Debbie’s Homeschool Day in the Life (with a 13- and 14-year-old)

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

52 Artist’s Dates for Your Homeschool ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

A wise friend of mine, knowing my desire to increase my creative flair, bought me an excellent book called The Artist’s Way. (afflink)

Fundamentally, this book encourages you to let go of what no longer serves you and instead make space for art in whichever forms call most to you. One of its key tenets is the concept of the artist date.

This is a permission slip to spend a couple of hours each week allowing your ‘inner artist’ to simply play.

The time should be spent alone, doing something that inspires you – fills your creative bucket so to speak – with no set outcome. Joyful, right?

I started adding this to my weekly planner. I’d bravely take myself out alone to the theatre to watch beautiful dancers or just ringfence time in my garden. My children’s interest was piqued.

I bought myself a stack of magazines to cut up into an inspiration board, and Rosie excitedly picked up what was left to make her own. Harry, noticing me book an oil painting class, asked if we could make it a mother-son date day instead. For months, I’d left a stack of photo frames hanging around ready to make a display of our travels.

It was an artist’s date destined not to happen… until Rosie decided she’d waited long enough and asked me with pleading eyes if she could please do some of them! Clearly the priority I was gifting my own creativity was motivating them to do the same.

So I brainstormed a list of 52 artist’s dates for your homeschool to stimulate all our imaginations.

The ardent Artist’s Way followers would insist these be done individually, and often, that works best.

But there’s also value to be gained doing them beside your loved ones, connecting through playful creation. And in a homeschool setting, it’s ideal for both bonding and interesting coursework that you might otherwise not have time for!

52 Artist’s Dates for Your Homeschool This Year:

1. Print out uplifting quotes and make a collage
2. Book a cookery course, design your own dinner party menu or forage for ingredients to use in a new recipe
3. Redecorate your bedroom and paint a mural on the wall
4. Attend a poetry recital or design your own with friends
5. Have a go at the potter’s wheel
6. Research Andy Goldsworthy’s art and create your own outdoor sculpture
7. Have a seasonal photography competition amongst family members – who can take the best winter or spring photograph?
8. Experience a new kind of theater, such as slapstick, mime or street theater
9. Design a mood board of pictures for a story/scene you’re writing
10. Try a new dance style, such as Irish or Flamenco
11. Draw your favorite building in your local town
12. Go wild swimming
13. Introduce yourself to a new style of music and find a favorite song in this genre
14. Pick some flowers from the garden to make a bouquet
15. Plan a road trip
16. People watch and create stories about each character
17. Make a photo-book of your holidays
18. Peruse a food market and taste foods you’ve never tried before
19. Research and try a new craft technique, like macramé, book folding art or wire figure sculpting
20. Go on a barefoot or night walk
21. Create a collection of beautiful objects
22. Visit an art gallery or museum
23. Write a song
24. Plant part of the garden as a beautiful sanctuary for you
25. Design a comic strip
26. Kayak or canoe down a river
27. Draw the floor plan of your ideal home
28. Bravely book a guided ghost walk
29. Go to a comedy club or write a comedy sketch
30. Make a ‘creative bucket list’
31. Attend a writing class
32. Make your own photo frame out of driftwood
33. Learn to knit
34. Explore unique shops with no agenda
35. Survey the sunset or sunrise, or stargaze
36. Watch an inspirational speaker
37. Start a nature journal
38. Enjoy a music festival or concert
39. Try workshops to learn new skills, such as juggling, leather working or soap making
40. Create a Pinterest board for a hobby or passion
41. Bake a new type of cake or pastry
42. Add hygge to your home
43. Plan, save and buy a new outfit
44. Make a Christmas wreath
45. Start a sewing project, such as new curtains, a patchwork quilt or new skirt
46. Enjoy a coloring or doodle book
47. Try a new type of painting class, like oil, Batik or watercolors
48. Start a blog, Substack or YouTube channel
49. Sit by the river and write a poem
50. Venture into previously unexplored areas of an art/stationery shop
51. Make a photo display
52. Write 10 things you’d love to be brave enough to do; chose one and do it!

Having experienced my own artist’s date last night – a talk from the intrepid explorer Simon Reeve – I can attest to the uplifting impact on your imagination.

Here’s to building a creative 2025!

* Find more of Debbie’s inspirational writing on Simple Homeschool here.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

A Peek Into the Life of a Roadschooler ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

Taking advantage of a small window in the year with no cricket training or plays to rehearse, we decided to throw caution to the wind and take our homeschool on the road.

We drove 650 miles through France to reach Spain, which we’ll spend the next month exploring! Let me give you a little peek into the reality of life as a roadschooler:

A Peek Into the Life of a Roadschooler

An Average Homeschool Day on the Road

We wake late, at 8:30, thanks to the absolute silence of the place we’re staying. Things don’t get started until later here. The kids pad down the stairs, grab some breakfast, shower and settle down to work in different parts of the house.

Harry starts revising a section of his economics and then together we go through some practice exam questions and case studies. Rosie studies the poem Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland, analysing it in depth, and then logs onto her English lesson with her online tutor. I cook a chicken curry, which we all sit down to eat together at 1:30, ‘book work’ complete for the day.

Only four hours, but they worked intensely in that time.

In the afternoon, we investigate San Vicente de la Barquera, our home for the next 10 days. We explore its cute little back streets, with the castle and church on the hill, and then head for the beach. Here they have a 2-hour surfing lesson, possibly the coolest of PE possibilities!

They come out of this beaming; a new passion ignited. Afterwards, we walk back, stopping to pick up supplies, giving the kids a chance to practice their Spanish.

The evening we spend reading, playing cards and having a late dinner. Rosie rings a restaurant to book a table for Saturday; not an easy task in a different language!

Then, we crash into bed, exhausted but happy.

Exploring

Life as a roadschooler continue in this way, deskwork in the mornings and exploration in the afternoon.

Our afternoon jaunts have included visiting El Capricho, the first house designed by Gaudi; canoeing; exploring local towns: visiting churches and museums and trying local fare; biking a bear trail through the mountains; and more surfing.

The weekends we save for the longer adventures, such as some rather exhilarating canyoning, and Mass at the most beautiful little church carved into the rock, followed by a walk in the mountains.

For this first part of the trip, we’re staying in one location, but next we’re going to hop and skip our way down to southern Spain, exploring cities, national parks and beaches as we go. The children adore this lifestyle.

Harry commented, “That was the best week of work I’ve ever had!”

When It Goes Wrong!

But things don’t always go so smoothly, and yet, it is often in those situations, that we learn the most. On our first night, deep amid the French countryside, we realized that one of the car doors didn’t lock, somewhat suboptimal for a road trip!  We found ourselves in a VW garage in Spain, trying to communicate our problem.

It’s amazing under pressure what vocabulary comes back to you! Between the three of us (and a bit of Google translate!) we organized for them to order a new part and for it to be fitted a few days later. I’m pleased to say the car is now fixed, and our self-confidence has risen a few notches!

Traveling teaches us to embrace flexibility and surrender control, not an easy lesson for me. You can have a plan, but so often you must adapt it in the moment and think on your feet instead. I could give you countless examples, where the children helped me work out alternative options.

Our newfound approach is to smile, and enjoy whatever the new plan brings us, which so often is better than the original.

This in turn helps us be more present (something I normally struggle with).

Sometimes in the life of a roadschooler, it all goes beautifully to plan. The day we canoed down the river, the sun was shining as we laughed our way down the little rapids. The kind owner drove us back to the start, chatting away nonstop, in the process giving us a wonderful 30-min Spanish lesson!

What We’ve Learned

• All the newness, whilst stimulating, is tiring, and quiet time at the close of the day is a must!
• People are inherently good and want to help you.
• The importance of going with the flow.
• You are more capable than you think.
• Beauty is a balm to the soul and inspires our creativity (Rosie came home and wrote the most gorgeous poem after canoeing).
• Being present to your surroundings brings such contentment.
• Life is most definitely for living!

If you want to follow along our journey, check out updates on our Instagram: anadventurouseducation.

* Read more of Debbie’s posts on Simple Homeschool here!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

Next year will possibly be my daughter’s last year of homeschooling. Wow, just writing those words causes a squeeze on my heart and a tear in my eye! There are plans afoot for her to attend school for her last two years, to sit higher-level exams.

So, this last year homeschooling feels especially poignant.

As I look back over the years, the thing I am so unbelievably grateful for on this homeschooling journey of ours is the deep connection I have developed with my two children through the medium of shared learning.

It’s in all the hours spent snuggled up reading about the endeavours of Scott in the Antarctic or those excited moments of “Oooh, I get it now,” as they grasp a new science concept. It’s in the deep conversations about human behaviour or which political party to vote for, or the light dinner time chats where we tease out a mathematical conundrum.

This bond through shared scholarship over the last nine years has been a real privilege. It’s reminded me to set in place some key traditions for continuing this connection for the upcoming year and hopefully even once they’ve flown the nest.

Creating Traditions for Shared Lifelong Learning

Literary Picnics

Yesterday Rosie and I had the first of what we’re calling, ‘literary picnics.’ We laid out a blanket and delicious picnic alongside a whole range of books. Over the following hour, we cuddled and:

• Recited and discussed our favourite poems.
• Chose selections to read from various books meaningful to us in some way, such as John Green’s book Paper Towns or Speeches of Note by Shaun Usher.
• Read to each other pieces from our own current writing projects.

This all felt so very Anne of Green Gables (our joint favourite literary character) and was honestly such a joy. So much so that we’ve decided to make it a bi-weekly feature of our upcoming school term.

Throughout the winter, we’ll move them in front of a log fire, but the aim will be the same: connecting through a shared passion for words.

This year, she’s studying for exams in English language and literature, as well as a drama qualification. The literary picnic sessions will be an opportunity for her to embed her learning as she updates me on the books and poems she’s studying, the monologues she’s preparing and the dissertation she’s writing.

It will also offer the chance for us to read together a whole range of writing styles from articles to diaries, to letters to interviews, helping her prepare for her English language exam.

Finally, we can vulnerably share our own writing in this forum (e.g. Rosie’s currently writing a screenplay), bouncing ideas off one another and offering honest and loving advice for improvement.

We are both so excited for these sessions and I pray that it’s a tradition we’ll continue to do for many years to come!

Adventures

Since they were small, our family have always connected through adventures, big and small. Together, we’ve walked a marathon, made brass bowls in Marrakech’s medina, climbed inside an Egyptian pyramid, volunteered at an animal sanctuary in Costa Rica, wild camped, tracked the Northern Lights, fat biked through the dunes of South Africa and made our own hammock.

Learning through the world, these adventures teach us fundamental life skills, such as facing our fears, strengthening self-belief, connecting deeply with others, whilst also filling our creative buckets.  Adventure has and always will be a way of life for our family, a place where I know we’ll continue to connect and grow side-by-side long into the future.

Spanish Hour

All three of us are hispanophiles: lovers of all things Spanish! Since we have this joint passion, I thought it would be fun to spend an hour a week learning more about Spanish arts, sports, music and culture, from a smorgasbord of options, e.g.:

• Make a traditional Spanish recipe
• Select a famous Spanish painting, such as Guernica by Picasso, to discuss together
• Watch different Spanish dances, such as Flamenco or the Argentine Tango
• Listen to traditional Spanish songs
• Read an article together about Spanish culture or history
• Watch a movie in Spanish
• Visit the Tate Modern to view works of art by Mexican artists Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera
• Go to the Cervantes Theatre in London to watch a Spanish play
• Research the life of famous Spanish sporting heroes
• Pick a Spanish-speaking country or part of Spain and research its famous sites

The aim of these traditions is purely to nurture our shared interests in a joyful and non-pressured way, with the hope that we’ll continue to connect like this long after their school is finished. These traditions will hopefully inspire shared lifelong learning in all of our lives!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

I have an honest admission to make here: I like to be in control, preferably with an efficient plan of action! Delegation and asking for help do not come naturally for me.

I’m guilty of doing things for my teens that they could not only do for themselves, but would hugely benefit from completing without my input. This is especially true during term time, when our lives are at their busiest, as we juggle many extracurricular activities alongside their academics.

During the summer however, we take a long 9-week break, which offers a complete change of pace. Here there is time for me to surrender control and support my teens in developing critical independence skills for the future.

We’re focusing on three simple areas this summer on encouraging independence:

Encouraging Independence in Teens During Summer

1. Completion of a Real-Life Project

Giving your teen full responsibility for delivering a real-life project brings so many opportunities for growth and learning.

Examples might be redecorating their room; selling their old books; managing a patch of the garden; organizing a summer party or holiday; restoring an old piece of furniture; hosting a fundraiser for a local charity; setting up and running a small business; coordinating a long walk and camp-out; or launching a YouTube channel.

This autumn, we’re planning a 4-week road trip to explore the beautiful country of Spain. Over the summer, my two teens will jointly manage planning the logistics for this project.

This will include:

• Formulating our route, liaising with our Spanish tutor for advice.
• Managing the budget.
• Agreeing time spent in each location.
• Sourcing and booking accommodation.
• Deciding (and compromising!) on which activities to do/places to visit, balancing everyone’s interests, and booking ahead where required.
• Learning about the different places we’ll explore.
• Writing a packing list.
• Determining how much homeschool work we’ll do during the trip.

Through projects, a whole variety of skills can be practiced, such as goal setting, communication, teamwork, time management, negotiation, budgeting, researching and more. Ours won’t be plain sailing – they’re siblings so compromise isn’t easy!

However, achieving such a project, even in imperfectly, will boost their sense of being independent young adults.

2. Self Sufficiency in Your Own Contentment

I don’t believe there is a greater gift in life than learning to be self-sufficient in your own contentment. By this I mean the ability to generate your own joy and serenity, either through time alone or by searching out meaningful connections, rather than expecting someone else to provide it for you.

This has really struck me recently as I spend time with my mother in hospital. She has dementia and psychotic episodes. When I visit, she wants me all to herself and will actively push away the nurses to dominate my attention.

There has always been an expectation that in my role as a daughter, I am there to entertain her, to provide color and light for her life. The sad truth is that she has never learned to do this for herself.

It’s made me realize the importance of not repeating this with my own children. I am responsible for generating color and light in my life as are they for theirs. So, I plan to lead by example and ask:

What do I need during this summer break and how will I achieve that?

I’ve shared this with them and encouraged them to answer the same question. I’m there to help them with the practicalities, and to check progress, but that’s it.

They will be responsible for balancing their own needs (e.g. are they getting enough connection with friends, time outside, relaxation?), as I will be for mine!

3. Food Management

Learning how to budget and shop for food, manage ingredients in your home and cook healthy meals are fundamental life skills. During the busy term, I tend to do most of the heavy lifting. But in the holiday, the children get more involved.

As a manageable objective this summer, they will:

• Each tackle one new recipe, and then cook this each week as one of our evening meals.
• Learn how to plan a week’s menu, create a shopping list and do a weekly food shop alone whilst sticking to a budget (even if it happens once, I’ll count it as a win!).
• Be responsible for ensuring the food is eaten in date order and reduce food waste – one of my husband’s biggest bugbears!

Each summer, they grow in their independence a little more. I just need to remember to surrender and let them find their own way.

I hope this helps when it comes to encouraging independence in your teens during the summer holidays. I’d love to hear any of your thoughts and ideas, too!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

Finding Daily Awe as We Grow Through Difficult Homeschooling Seasons ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

I started the year listening to the clinking of glasses as the nurses and doctors welcomed in 2024, sat by the bedside of my stepdad in intensive care. Next to me was my mother, in the latter stages of dementia, understandably spiralling out of control at the prospect of losing her beloved husband.

Our relationship has never been an easy one.

I prayed beside her and clearly remember hearing the words, “Pace yourself my child. This is going to be a long and difficult journey, but I will be with you.”

This has proven to be true. The last few months have been emotionally painful, as I process grief alongside childhood/adulthood trauma and a new cancer diagnosis for my mum. But God has been there every step of the way, directing my steps. It has been a rough old ride, but these times of phenomenal change have also brought huge personal growth.

Elizabeth Gilbert quotes Jim MacLaren as saying, “Suffering without catharsis is wasted pain.” Unfortunately, though, it has taken a toll on my family. The reality of homeschooling is that no matter how hard you try to hide it, whatever you feel, your kids sense deeply.

Set against this backdrop, we’re in the midst of external exam season in our homeschool. Harry is busy perfecting the art of interesting Spanish conversation for his upcoming oral exam. Rosie, on the other hand, sifts through piles of statistics and social theorists’ perspectives to decide what’s required to write a top-mark essay in her sociology exam.

Maintaining their focus amongst all that’s going on is a learning opportunity, but overwhelming nonetheless.

A Different Focus

Although there is vast growth happening in all directions, we also carry this sense of heaviness in our hearts, pressure on our brains and weight on our shoulders. We need to usher in the light. And what better way to do this than finding daily awe.

Dacher Keltner defines awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world.” For me, it’s those humbling moments when you encounter a deep sense of appreciation for the enormity, beauty and magic of the universe.

They’re the wow experiences in life: standing atop a mountain looking down at the world beneath your feet; watching a bumblebee gathering nectar from a foxglove; singing Ave Maria alongside congregation members; an emotively written piece of poetry; walking a new route to the shops; a child’s infectious giggle; or simply witnessing the kindness of others.

Snippets of wonder that anchor you in the present moment. I often find that I experience awe when travelling, but it can be found just as easily from home.

Finding daily awe in our lives can bring enormous health benefits, such as calming down our nervous system, quietening negative self-talk, slowing our heart rate, deepening our breathing and releasing the ‘feel good’ hormone oxytocin.

Our Daily Awe

In this difficult homeschooling season, here are three simple ways we’ve incorporated finding daily awe into our lives:

1. A Sensory Writing Exercise

Not wanting to add too much to their already full schedules, we instead did a simple writing exercise, sat outside in our tree bed (an awe-inspiring place). We imagined what awe felt, looked, tasted, smelled or sounded like for each of us. Here’s my daughter Rosie’s:

2. A Book of Awe 

I bought a beautiful book with the sole purpose of sharing our moments of awe, either a written excerpt or a photo that captures a precious moment.

3. Lunchtime and Bedtime Awe Focus

Lunchtime and bedtime are the two points in the day we’re all together.

So they are the perfect time to ask each other the simple questions: What are you planning to do/have you done to find awe today?

There will always be heavy seasons. But focusing on simple flashes of daily awe brings us sharply into the present and takes us out of our own heads, as we appreciate how small a role we play in this vast universe.

Last week, alongside three friends, I walked a 22-mile pilgrimage from the sea to Canterbury Cathedral.

It was closed when we arrived, but as pilgrims we were allowed inside. Just entering that sacred place with its towering ceilings and long history felt awe-inspiring. Then we were given a blessing.

Holding hands with tears falling, the lady held each of our heads in turn as she prayed over us. That to me was pure awe. Life may be hard, but we never stand alone.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

I am Brave

I am frozen to the spot; terror fills my every fibre. My feet are jammed into the metal staple on the sheer cliff side, legs shaking, my hands grasping on tight to the staple above.

I dare not look down at my feet. At the acres of nothingness that falls between them and the ground. Instead, I look across.

There, calmly dangling off the mountain ahead is my 14-year-old girl, my precious baby, leaning out and back to help her best friend navigate this tricky section of the Via Ferrata, seemingly without a care in the world.

Knowing my fear of heights, she’d tentatively suggested this adrenaline-fueled activity as a birthday treat, followed swiftly with, “But if it’s too much for you Mummy, we don’t have to do it.”

Now I was somewhat regretting my eagerness to please with the words, “Yes, why not!”

All I could do was focus on my breath. In and out. While I tried to block the repetitive internal dialogue of, “Why, why do you do these crazy things?!”

But, after stretching, scrambling and hoisting ourselves along cliff edges, vertical climbs and an infinity bridge, we finally reached the end.

Rosie threw her arms around me, shouting, “I’m so proud of you Mummy!” I promptly burst into tears.

She is Brave

Fast forward a week and we’re presented with a different moment. Rosie, an acting fanatic, had been offered the opportunity to attend a Youth Creative Convention at the home of Shakespeare, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

The sting: A six-hour round trip on a coach with a group of older teens she’s never met, but who know each other well.

The idea of everyone else having friends, of no-one talking to her for six hours and feeling conspicuously alone nearly overwhelmed her. I left it up to her to decide.

Later, she sidled up to me and courageously said, “Mummy, I’m going to do this. You faced your fears on that mountainside, and you’ve inspired me. So, I am going to be brave too. But I’m going to download some films so that if I’m left alone, I can be happy watching them without feeling like I need to be part of the group.”

In that moment, I stared at my girl in awe – Brave enough to not let fear stand in her way but smart enough to put in a backup strategy!

But I was also floored by this thought: Seeing me brave had given Rosie the fuel to do the same.

On her return, I knew just by looking into her eyes that it had been a success.

The convention was inspiring and the big scary coach turned out to be a small minibus. The other children were unanimously friendly and not knitted into an impenetrable clique as she had dreaded.

She had shown up and faced her fears.

Daily Brave Choices 

Instinctively we all know that as parents, we are our children’s first and biggest role models. Thus, it should follow that we spend time on our own development, growing to become better versions of ourselves.

But how much energy and time do we really spend on this? “Very little,” is my honest answer.

So I’ve started to consciously make a brave choice each day, and share them with Rosie. This has included establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries with certain individuals, a spontaneous solo theatre trip,  facing up to healthy anxiety, and recording my first podcast!

Inspired, she too started her own daily brave journey.

My favourite example of hers is a new evening acting class in London. Travelling there alone on trains, the Tube and through dark streets, she’s stretched both of our brave boundaries to the maximum and come out beaming!

*****

What if being brave is not just about the big adventures we plan for holidays or vacations?

It can also be seen as pushing yourself out of the safe option of doing what you always do, behaving the way you always behave and thinking the way you always think. It’s about stopping and considering a different path.

Is there one tiny brave choice you can make and share with your kids today?

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

Debbie’s Homeschool Day in the Life (with a 13- and 14-year-old) ~
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

Early Morning

It’s 6:19am and I wake with a start. Somehow my body has this uncanny knack of waking me just before my alarm goes off, which allows the rest of the house to stay sleeping. It’s still pitch-black outside and lashing down with rain. I’m due to meet my running buddy soon.

If it wasn’t for her, there’s not a chance I’d move from the warmth of my bed. But I can’t let her down, so I force open my eyes, read my devotional and pray.

By 6:50am, we’re (very) slowly pounding the quiet, wet streets side by side and all of our worries or excitements come tumbling out. It’s like life coaching on the run and a critical part of my self-care.

Six miles and many insights later (for us it’s much more about the chat; with the running an added healthy bonus), I return rejuvenated and positive.

I meet Harry (my 13-year-old) in the kitchen, slowly breakfasting, listening to Iron Maiden and reading the news. Soon, my 14-year-old Rosie joins us and grabs a quick breakfast. She’s minimised her getting ready process to maximise her sleep, but still sets an alarm.

Morning Cricket

At 8:40am, Harry and I set out to his 1:1 cricket lesson. Normally he subjects me to some variation of thrash metal in the car, but it’s too early for that, so we opt for an episode of the much-loved Tom Scott, Lateral podcast.

We meet his coach at 9am and they warm up with some fielding drills, followed by bowling and batting practice. We’re a passion-led homeschool, so any opportunities to develop my children’s passions are prioritised above all else.

Harry’s dream is to be a fast-bowling cricketer for England. He plays age-group cricket for the county and, through the winter, has many training sessions and at-home workouts/runs to build strength and speed for the summer games.

Debbie’s Homeschool Day in the Life

Whilst he’s occupied, I take the opportunity to write my morning pages, a practice I picked up after reading The Artist’s Way. (afflink) It’s a 3-page brain dump, which I find hugely therapeutic and spiritual. Today I use it to work through and pray over some personal issues.

Mid-Morning

10:30am and we’re back home. Rosie has been working on physics since 9am.

In the UK, children usually take exams (known as GCSEs) at 16 years old in a variety of subjects, which are a gateway to further education. We’re planning to do 8-9 subjects, but rather than sitting them in one go, under immense pressure (as in schools), we’ve opted to spread them over several years.

This suits their learning style, allowing them to delve deep into a topic, take an exam and either move on or continue at a higher level.

Between 10:30-12pm, Rosie and I verbally work together on questions to cement the knowledge she’s just learned about thermal energy. We even attempted a practical to investigate how well different metals conduct heat. Neither of us are lovers of experiments. Invariably they go wrong.

We once had to call out an ambulance when I stupidly grabbed hold of a burning hot tripod with both hands (cringing here with embarrassment…), and promptly blacked out with the shock! Homeschooling can be dangerous! Miraculously though, today’s experiment worked as expected.

Harry meanwhile writes up his cricket notes and then focuses on doing a series of Spanish vocabulary Quizlets on his current topic: Social Issues and Environmental Concerns.

At 12pm, I leave Rosie learning the theory for her upcoming LAMDA acting exam (her passion is drama), to cook our lunch. We like to eat our main meal of the day together at lunchtime as we’re often out in the evenings.

Today’s offering – Thai chicken soup – can be turned out in just 30 minutes (my type of cooking!), so by 12:30pm, along with my husband James, we sit, eat and chat.

Post Lunch

Time for a quick walk to blow the cobwebs away. It’s a beautiful, cold day and we chat about our recent trip to Cape Town. Travelling is an important part of our homeschool. I believe they learn as much from this as from academic work at home.

You can read about the problems in South Africa, but there is nothing like seeing firsthand the vastness of the townships and witnessing the dire conditions in which thousands of people still live. As we walked, we talked about why, nearly 30 years after the abolishment of apartheid, such disparities persist.

But we reflect on the positive experiences too, like this unforgettably special encounter at an elephant sanctuary, where we got to brush down, feed and walk hand in trunk with these majestic creatures.

The Afternoon

Rosie continues to prepare for her upcoming acting exam. She works on fine tuning her three very contrasting monologues. Her portrayal of Lady Macbeth is powerful; Mabel Chiltern from An Ideal Husband, very funny; and Leah from the play DNA heart-wrenching and moving.

At 3pm, she logs onto her Spanish lesson. Although she’s already completed her GCSE, she’s taking this subject further as she loves it so much.

She’s studying the play La Casa de Bernarda Alba, translating it and discussing the key themes with her tutor. She’s due to finish at 4:30pm but she overruns, so they can finish the play, as in two days’ time, we’re due to watch an English version at the National Theatre – super exciting!

Meanwhile, I help Harry with his Spanish grammar, oral preparation, and writing pieces. He finishes at 4pm and I drive him down to his friend’s house for band practice. They’re working on writing a Christian thrash metal song together, with Harry on guitar.

As an introvert, I’m eternally grateful to my friend for hosting this noisy venture!

The Evening

Rosie takes advantage of a rare free evening to call a friend, and I write this post before collecting Harry. All together again, we each make our own snacky meal and then treat ourselves to dinner in front of the fire and a couple of episodes of Survivor, our current addiction!

By 9:30pm, we’re all exhausted, and head up to bed for a reading wind down! The days are full, but I’m honestly so grateful for this chance to live and learn together.

I find it tricky to write these posts because, as I’m sure you know, there really is no such thing as an average homeschool day.

The above represents a good day, where everything ran smoothly.

On other days, you might find me taking solace in my room for a moment’s break from teenage emotions, or crying with frustration at being stuck in yet another traffic jam, after hours on the road ferrying them to auditions, rehearsals or cricket practice.

This rollercoaster is my reality, but it’s one that I wouldn’t change for the world.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!

Not Only A Homeschool Mum –
Written by Debbie Douse of An Adventurous Education

A note from Jamie: Please join me today in welcoming a new contributor to our Simple Homeschool team, Debbie Douse from the UK. I’ve gotten to know her for a few years in my Introverted Moms community, and I’m sure you will love her thoughtful insights as much as I have. Welcome, Debbie!

Hi, I’m Debbie, an adventure-loving homeschool mum to two enthusiastic children!

Based on the South East coast of England, we live and learn together in a happy blend of passion-led, book-mad and partly structured home education, mixed with a very large dollop of travel and adventure.

I am so excited to be writing on Simple Homeschool for the very first time, here to authentically share our homeschooling journey with you, with its wonderful highs and occasional emotionally painful lows. I’m sure you can relate!

One thing is for sure, despite its magical moments, homeschooling is an intense job. Sometimes overwhelmingly so. It’s easy to lose your own sense of self amongst its all-encompassing demands.

I wrote the poem below to remind me that my role in life is not just the multi-faceted duties of a homeschool mum of two. I’m also a woman with her own needs, interests and passions.

Slowly and gently, I am encouraging this version of me to come out of hiding and let her light shine brightly too.

My challenge is for you to adapt this poem to reflect you and help you remember the imperfectly perfect parent behind your homeschool, too.

Not Only A Homeschool Mum
by Debbie Douse

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who has spent the last day discussing biology concepts with her son,
Struggling over physics questions with her daughter,
and
I am also a Woman,
Who loves to hike, flamenco dance
and tinker in the garden.

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who drives for hours to auditions, coaching sessions, dance classes,
Play dates or band practice.
and
I am also a Woman,
Who, whilst waiting for their return, snuggled under a blanket,
Reads, writes and dreams for herself.

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who wipes tears, leaves space for anger to spill, hears hurts,
Hugs their pain,
and
I am also a Woman,
Who needs to cry, shout, rage against injustices, and
Offload her burdens too.

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who slips in and out of many roles each day: Teacher,
Chef, Administrator, Mediator.
and
I am also a Woman,
Who is a novice learner, showing up for her weekly Spanish lesson,
squeezing her brain to remember the words!

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Proud to raise children who are uniquely themselves,
Who dance to their own rhythm and care not a hoot for what others think.
and
I am also a Woman,
For whom it is still a daily struggle to remember she is enough,
And to boldly step onto the stage to be seen.

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who listens intently to their worries, reassures them on tricky days,
Nervously waits as they sit that maths exam.
and
I am also a Woman,
Who laughs raucously (sometimes embarrassingly so!),
Seeks adventure and plays freely.

I am a Homeschool Mum,
Who encourages independence, gently nudging them further into the world,
Knowing of both the pain and joy to come,
and
I am also a Woman,
Who loves to run alongside her friend, vulnerably sharing her life’s story,
Letting go of hurt to make space for her own next brave steps.

And it is through both
of these identities:
Homeschool Mum
and
Woman, that my children and I learn deeply,
In a messy, yet entirely authentic way.
How could I ask for more?

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your type needs most!