5+ Reasons Why We Love Home Education

When people hear that we’re home educating our child, the first question is often, “Why?” It’s usually followed by a curious look, because for many, home education is something they associate with special educational needs, bullying, or children who haven’t settled well in mainstream school. While those can certainly be valid reasons, our decision comes from a different place. For us, it’s about flexibility, family life, and the kind of learning environment we want our daughter to grow up in.

Every family’s path looks different, and ours has led us here. Home education is not a rejection of school, but rather an embrace of the lifestyle and opportunities that fit our family best. Here are the reasons behind our choice.

1. Freedom to Travel and Save

One of the unexpected but hugely practical benefits of home education is the ability to travel whenever it suits us. Flights and accommodation during term time are often half the price compared to peak school holidays, which means travel becomes a lot more affordable. For us, this isn’t just about saving money. It’s about being able to explore the world together as a family without having to wait for a school calendar to give us permission.

Travelling outside the traditional school timetable also means fewer crowds, shorter queues, and a more relaxed pace. Whether it’s a quiet museum visit, a nearly empty beach, or simply a flight without inflated prices, the flexibility makes our experiences richer and less stressful.

2. Time with Family Abroad

Our family is spread across several countries, and staying connected to them is important to us. With home education, we can spend longer visits abroad without worrying about attendance rules, fines, or having to squeeze meaningful family time into a rushed week.

These extended trips mean our daughter gets to spend real, unhurried time with her grandparents, cousins, and extended family. She learns family traditions first-hand, celebrates holidays in their authentic setting, and develops a stronger sense of where she comes from. These aren’t just “extras” in her education. They’re core parts of her identity, and home education allows them to flourish.

3. Language Learning in Daily Life

We’re raising our daughter trilingually: English, French, and Vietnamese, and home education fits beautifully with this goal. Instead of being limited to short lessons or occasional exposure, we can weave language learning seamlessly into her day. She can read a bedtime story in one language, chat with family in another, and explore vocabulary while cooking or playing.

This immersion feels natural, not forced, and it reflects the way languages are really used in life. For us, education isn’t only about academics, but about communication, culture, and connection. Home education gives us the freedom to nurture all three.

4. Real-Life Learning Opportunities

One of the joys of home education is how it transforms everyday experiences into opportunities for learning. A trip to the seaside isn’t just a fun day out; it’s a chance to explore marine life, collect shells, and ask questions about tides and waves. Baking together becomes a lesson in maths and science: weighing, measuring, observing chemical reactions.

Instead of being tied to a desk or fixed timetable, our daughter learns through curiosity and exploration. Museums, libraries, nature walks, and kitchen experiments, the world becomes her classroom. It’s not about avoiding structure, but about recognising that learning happens everywhere, all the time.

5. The Common Reasons Too

Of course, we also share some of the more familiar reasons families choose home education:

• A personalised pace of learning, where she can take her time or move ahead when she’s ready.
• More quality time as a family, rather than squeezing life into evenings and weekends.
• Freedom from constant testing and rigid schedules.
• The chance to nurture her natural curiosity, instead of just ticking curriculum boxes.

These reasons matter too, but for us they’re part of a bigger picture, one where learning is integrated with living, and family life is at the heart of education.

In the end, home education isn’t about saying that school is bad or wrong. It’s simply about choosing a lifestyle that works for us, one that gives us freedom, flexibility, and the joy of learning together. It allows us to raise our daughter in a way that reflects our values, our culture, and our dreams for her future. And that, for us, makes perfect sense.