“My children are out of school, can neither read nor write”

If more and more parents choose to move away from the classic educational model by moving towards Montessori schools, for example, others prefer to keep their children away from the mainstream school system altogether. Often linked to a very permissive way of life, the learning of autonomy is then greatly favored. The children are free to make their choices in all areas, bedtime, meals, their schedule… Which is very much like education without limits!

This is the choice that was made by parents, Adèle and Matt, to raise their three children. For them, there is no question of imposing anything on them, Ulysse 12 years old, Ostara 8 years old and Kai 4 years old, are not educated and they do what they want. A choice that is debated but that parents do not regret for anything in the world. A method which is not conventional and which would not pass in France. Indeed, with us, education is compulsory from the age of 3 and up to 16 years. In other words, parents can decide to enroll their child in a school or provide this education themselves at home.. We are talking about homeschooling.

No bedtime, mealtime, kids are free

Adèle and Matt confided in the Mirror to tell their story and their way of life with their three children. It was Adèle, a stay-at-home mother, who chose this educational model “We were in this lifestyle before we had our kids, so it made sense that it would continue and affect all of our decisions after I got pregnant. I haven’t had medical deliveries, and we started doing things alternatively and outside the system, but that didn’t necessarily make sense to us.” Little by little, the couple decided to follow this path with the education of their children: “We take our children out of school. This means that they have to show an interest in something so that we explore it with them, instead of following a program and telling them what they are going to learn. We believe in the virtues of autonomy: by allowing children to take charge of their lives, make their own choices and decide what happens in their lives rather than dictate to them.”

A choice that is much debated, especially since it does not stop at school, indeed Adele and Matt have decided not to use the health system in place. As she explains, they made the choice not to vaccinate their children and they prefer to treat them with medicinal plants rather than with drugs. On a daily basis, it is the children who decide everything: their bedtime, their meals, they are not obliged to do chores… A choice that parents do not regretaccording to them, their children develop skills in subjects that interest them even if they are not forced to learn the basics like reading or writing.