Find Out All About How Our Successful Home Learning Journey Started
It wasn’t easy when we first started homeschooling. Back when it all began thanks to COVID-19, we were thrown into online classes, teacher-presentations, workbook pages and constant comparison to the classroom structure we knew. I was biased from the start—workbooks were at the centre of our home learning. That’s all I had ever known.
Then we moved to the countryside. A rural home, a “cute little” local school—at first, everything seemed fine. But the cracks showed quickly. You see, we have an amazingly bright 11-year-old who was born with a cleft palate, underwent surgery very young, spent ten days in hospital at birth, and faced speech therapy, dental visits and countless checks ever since. He came home, healed, thrived—but the support system at the school wasn’t working for him.
The teacher said he was “slow”, didn’t write, was shy. The principal suggested a psychology test that looked like a ticket to a special school. I asked: what about his strengths? What about what he can do? I watched homework that went unchecked, lessons that left him behind. I began to question the system.
When the test results landed—it was exactly the percentage used for special-school referral. I contacted the school myself, refused the bus facility they insisted on, and ended up in a dispute that left me in tears. A parent shouldn’t be bullied for choosing what’s best for their child. That was the moment I said: we’re doing this ourselves.
Homeschooling became our path. I reached out to Tusla and registered under Section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.
Because, yes—home education is legal in Ireland and the Constitution recognizes parents as the primary educators.
Why It Took Time to Find Our Rhythm
At first, I clung to familiar frameworks—workbooks, schedules, school-like routines. But homeschool is not school at home. It’s freedom, flexibility, responsiveness. In our rural setting, we discovered space: space for nature walks, for animal-led learning, for letting passions flourish.
Over time we realised the rhythm that works for us is one built on curiosity, connection, strengths, and seasons. We let interests lead. We made writing, spellbound and reading non-negotiables. But beyond that, we let learning breathe.
🎯 What It Looks Like Now
- My daughter is all about animals—she devours Nat Geo magazines, watches every Attenborough documentary, and dreams of working in a zoo.
- My son lives and breathes cars—repairing, reading, analysing, planning (yes, he wants to open his own car-wash business).
- We weave writing, reading and spelling into their interests—so it’s not a chore, it’s meaningful.
- Seasonal themes anchor our weeks—autumn means animal migration and car safety in wet weather.
- We keep it gentle, flexible, fun.
🧮 Key Learning Outcomes
For my daughter (animal enthusiast)
- Knowledge of animal habitats, biology and conservation.
- Communication skills through journals, documentaries and storytelling.
- Empathy and responsibility through studying care routines and wildlife protection.
For my son (car enthusiast)
- STEM skills via mechanics, energy, speed and design.
- Financial literacy and entrepreneurship through his business-ideas.
- Creative expression through design, writing and hands-on car projects.
💡 Why This Matters
Whether my children pursue exactly these careers or not, the goal is the same: to help them find what they love, to build the skills they need, and to keep their joy of learning alive. Homeschooling gives that luxury—a chance to stop, explore, pivot, and tailor. To honour strengths instead of chasing conformity.
✅ Final Thought
Four years in, I’m finally confident we’re on the right path. We still meet the fundamentals—writing, reading, spelling—but the way we arrive there looks different. It looks like passion, exploration and curiosity.
If you’re reading this and wondering how to find that rhythm in your homeschool journey: know this—your child’s spark is worth following. Your path may twist, turn, even collide with doubt. But when you listen, adjust and keep the heart of your child’s learning front-and-centre, you’ll find your rhythm too.
🔗 Helpful Resources
- Citizens Information — Home Education in Ireland. Citizens Information
- Tusla Home Education registration process. Tusla+1
- Home Education Network Ireland legalities. henireland.org
