Mum homeschools her kids by teaching them how to pay bills and do DIY
A mum who has been teaching her kids at home since lockdown says she's giving them 'life lessons' - like how to pay bills, do DIY, clean the house and cook their own meals.
Caroline Widdows, 46, started teaching her children, Toby, 13, and Daisy, 15, at home during the pandemic and decided to keep it up when schools reopened. Caroline, who used to run a furniture company, made a timetable of lessons, including key subjects like English, maths and creative ones like art, drama and music. But she also added in sessions on things she thought were important - like cooking meals, doing laundry and managing money to get them ready for real life.
Daisy and Toby have learnt to clean, make their bed, use the washing machine and cook for themselves. Caroline thinks teaching them at home is making them both "self-sufficient". Dad, Charlie Widdows, 48, an IT consultant, has taught Toby woodwork and they've even made a desk for his bedroom together.
Caroline says teaching at home has let the family spend more time together - which means her kids have been able to "enjoy being young - rather than rush through it." Caroline, who volunteers part-time at the National Trust, from Chew Magna, Somerset said: "We asked for advice from people that we knew were already teaching at home."
"It was working for so many and we knew we could make it work too. They [the kids] see me and their dad at home - so they see the day-to-day jobs whether that be general housework or paying bills. They are very self-sufficient when it comes to making their own lunch and tea for example. Even tasks like using the washing machine or cleaning, I wouldn't have thought about teaching them if they were at school all day."
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"Toby has done some woodwork with his dad and built himself a desk for his music production set up." Caroline decided to homeschool her daughter Daisy full-time from September 2020. She says Daisy didn't enjoy going back to school after lockdown and only returned for one day when schools reopened.
Carroline Widdows, 44, with Daisy, 13 and Toby, 11 at their home (No credit)Her younger brother, Toby, who is 13, also started homeschooling in September 2021 instead of moving to senior school with his classmates. Caroline said: "It really was a mutual decision - we looked into home education lots over lockdown and found so many people felt the same. Toby got used to it as it was something he knew for a long time with us homeschooling Daisy. We found some amazing resources online."
"It was a little bit of trial and error at the start, but we've now found the perfect way of teaching the core subjects whilst exploring new ones too. We were really impressed by the quality of resources that were at our disposal during lockdown and we knew that if we managed their days sensibly then they could get a great a deal from them, alongside our own interventions as 'teachers'. We're confident, as they grow older and their learning becomes more advanced, so will our abilities as guides on that journey. I am also sure that the resources available will continue to improve."
Caroline says both children have thrived in their homeschooling environment. She said: "Toby is very good at maths, he can work out equations a lot better than me or his dad. He has so many other interests like the piano and art - he has met a lot of friends through that which is nice."
Caroline said that the social aspect of school has not been an issue for either child and they maintain a good group of friends. She said: "We knew the social side wouldn't be a problem as they are both sociable and have never had a problem with that. They have firm friendships now that are based on shared interests and passions rather than just sharing a classroom. Daisy goes to a drama club where she mixes with a lot of new friends from other schools."
"We also have a tutor for them to help with maths and English so they will mix with other children there." Caroline, since removing her children Daisy and Toby from full-time mainstream education, reports that they are blossoming in creative realms such as music, drama, art, and singing. As she put it: "I don't think they would have had the time to do anything else if they were in mainstream education.
Carroline Widdows, 44, with Daisy, 13 and Toby, 11 at their home (No credit)"Friends they have at other schools are doing revision every single night. In my eyes, revising science is not necessary when you are not doing anything in your life around science." She added, hinting towards the undue academic pressure on kids. I think Toby would have embarrassed doing piano if none of his friends were doing it." expressing fears about peer pressure stifling creativity.
For Toby and Daisy, a standard study day begins at 9am. Morning sessions are dedicated to maths and English with an online tutor. Post-lunch, the pair immerse themselves in drama, art or music. Caroline said: "We are so glad we decided to do this. We get to share so many experiences with each other that we wouldn't have if they were at school five days a week. She described the up and downs of home-schooling while emphasising the bond it has created among them.
"Some days are harder than others with certain subjects, but we always manage to find the fun in everything, and always end up having a laugh together. That's a big part of why it works for us. We've seen such a change in the kids - they are genuinely never in bad moods."
She confidently concluded, "They get on really well with each other, and are learning everything they need to learn in order to become bright, well-adjusted, happy and sociable adults. They just happen to be doing most of that learning from home."
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Caroline stated homeschooling lets them bond more as a family, highlighting this as an "important factor" for their choice to educate their kids at home. She shared: "Their childhood seems to be going by so quickly, it was going by so fast and I wanted to slow it down. We worked out that the number of hours being homeschooled compared to them being at school." She added: "The amount of time we spend with them is massively more. They have been allowed to enjoy their childhood rather than rush through it."
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