Happy New Year 🤍
It feels like forever since I last posted here, so I thought it was time for a proper catch up; part explanation, part reflection, and perhaps, for accountability, the beginning of a plan.
This blog has always been a place where I share honestly about home education, family life, and the reality of homeschooling in the UK — and the last few months have very much been part of that reality.
Home Educating Through GCSEs in a Large Family
Since September, life has looked very different in our home. My eldest has been in the thick of GCSEs, and if I’m honest, it’s been far more intense than I expected. Not so much because of the work itself, but because of the juggle.
Home education has shifted from learning together through family unit studies, and exploring topics that interest us, to something much more structured. I now have one child who needs dedicated one-to-one teaching, a timetable to stick to, live online lessons to attend, homework deadlines, assignments to submit, and tutors to communicate with, all while still home educating four other children (well 3 and a toddler) and trying to meet their needs just as fully and fairly.
I don’t think I realised quite how much this change would affect all of us.
When Homeschooling Loses Its Flexibility
As a family, we’ve felt more restricted than ever. The freedom that usually defines home education, the flexibility, connection, and space to breathe has slowly slipped away.
When we’re on top of studies, our social life suffers. When we prioritise social time, the studies slip. I didn’t quite find a balance that felt right, and for months it’s felt like I’ve been balancing home education and family life with too many spinning plates.
Because of this, I completely dropped my blog and most of my social media which is something I actually love. Writing and creating is a genuine creative outlet for me, but it’s also where I share my passion for helping parents who are starting out or struggling with their own home education journeys.
If you’re reading this and considering home educating, please don’t let this post put you off 😅 I promise to continue sharing the good bits, the legal bits, and the hard bits too. This season has simply been… hard.
Finding a Better Home Education Rhythm
As we head into January, I think — I think — I’ve worked out how we might balance life a little better. Whether that’s realistic or wildly optimistic remains to be seen, so I’ll check back in around April and let you know whether we found a new rhythm or whether I’m still a juggling hot mess.
One thing I do know is that I want to be more consistent again; with blog posts and with social media. I want to get back to sharing advice over on TikTok, and sharing more resources and day-to-day life on Instagram.
In an ideal world, I’d love to publish a blog post every week. Realistically, fortnightly feels doable. Honestly? Once a month would still be a win right now.
Resources, Travel, and Worldschooling Dreams
I also want to get back to creating my own home education resources to share with you. And somehow, somewhere this year, I want to fit in some travel with the children.
Whether that’s small UK breaks, European cities, or eventually further afield, my dream has always been worldschooling. While finances don’t allow that just yet, I want to start putting plans in place and taking steps in that direction.
Choosing Freedom in Home Education Again
When I talk about home education, I often talk about the freedom it brings — working at a child’s pace, prioritising connection, and choosing a life that fits your family, rather than one you feel conditioned into.
And if I’m being completely honest, for the last three months — maybe even the last twelve — I haven’t been doing that.
I’ve become a slave to live lessons and textbooks, and none of us are happier because of it.
So here’s to 2026.
To finding new rhythms.
To gently balancing life.
And to finding the joy in home education again — because without that, there really is no point to any of it.
So if you’d like to follow me on social media to give me a nudge when you don’t see any regular content please do 🙂
www.tiktok.com/@homeeducatewithhayley
https://www.instagram.com/home_educate_with_hayley
How has your first term of home education been?
Are you making any changes going into 2026, or have you felt happy with how life has looked for you?
Hayley x
English