Emma - Brisbane, QLD / Turrbal Country

Emma and her family have lived in a number of different cities along the eastern seaboard of Australia but recently put their roots down in Brisbane where she and her husband are raising their four girls aged between 1 - 8 years old.

You may know Emma and her family from her instagram account @play_at_home_mummy where she generously shares their wonderful world of play. I loved hearing Emma's journey of homeschooling thus far, one that celebrates following the lead of her children and trusting in them and as much as herself with the support of community both online and in reality. 

SUMMARY

• Being a defence family meant they moved often but after her husband left the army they chose Brisbane as their home base because of the lifestyle and community
• Emma reflects on her own education in Melbourne and Sydney being an under the radar kind of student
• Feeling drawn to teaching due to her love of children and mother duck nature
• Assuming she would return to the teaching profession until her eldest daughter was on the precipice of school but knowing her daughter, following her lead and development, knowing what awaited her, she had a gut feeling it wouldn't be right
• Backing herself that she knew her child and would be able to homeschool
• You don't need to be a teacher to homeschool but it does help other people believe that you can
• The long journey of de-schooling and how they started out in a school-at-home mindset which didn't work before evolving into unschooling
• Letting go of control has been the hardest but best thing she's done
• Follow the lead of the child - no set expectations, tune into what they need
• The importance of putting yourself out there to find community
• Emma's experience of starting her own in person homeschooling group that ran in her absence and that they were able to rejoin when they moved back to Brisbane
• The joy of inspiring others to play through social media
• The benefits of a multi-age environment
• It all comes down to trust

INSPIRATION
Free to Learn - Peter Gray
Social media homeschooling groups - Facebook groups in particular
Seek out real life support from a homeschooling community

CONNECT
@play_at_home_mummy Instagram
Play At Home Mummy Facebook

Have you for a story to tell?
Connect with us on instagram @australianhomeschoolstories or email australianhomeschoolstories@gmail.com

This podcast is recorded on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be aboriginal land.

Original music - Hazel by Daniel Garrood @garroodcomposer
Listen on Spotify here