Why I chose to homeschool my daughter

Before deciding anything major in life, it is essential know the reason behind making that decision. It develops clarity, and during difficult days, when we go back and look at the reason as to why we are made that decision, it gives us a bigger picture and makes that day a tad bit easier.  Such is the case with homeschooling. It is something against the norm and takes up almost all your day, then why do moms decide to do it? Because the list of pros in their sight most certainly outweighs the cons. Here are some of the reasons as to why I chose to homescool my daughter:

1. Children learn more through play – Yes, I said it. Coming from South East Asian and Middle Eastern background, education is forced down children’s throat as little as three years old and they are always pressured to perform well academically in school. They do not realize that children learn more through observation, hands-on materials and free play. Finland is known to have the best education system. Students in Finland have the shortest school hours and shortest school year in the entire Western World. School does not start before the age of seven because they believe that a child should really make the most of their childhood by playing and observing as much as they can.
   
2. Salah (prayer) is not obligatory until the age of 7 – Salah is the first thing we will be asked about when we enter our graves. When something as important as that is not mandatory on a child, then why do we make wordly education compulsory on them and burden them with tests and homework?
   
3. You are what you were at 6 – I read this statement in my “Health for Life” textbook in Grade 11. Most experts agree that an individual’s personality is established by the end of early childhood. Six years is a very short time to help a child shape him into who he can become as an adult. This is the time to develop life long habits and manners in children.
   
4. Children are born on fitra (Sahih Muslim Book 46, Hadith 36) – Adding an Islamic element to the point mentioned earlier, the kind of Islamic morals, values and tarbiyah we instill in children at this pure age will become like second nature to them when they enter into their teens and adulthood inshaAllah. The kind of environment we provide them in the first six or seven years of their lives is essential in their spiritual and psychological development.
   
5. Your child makes you a better person – Children do what they see. If you want your child to memorize a certain dua and apply it, you will have to memorize it and apply it first. When we know that there are little eyes and ears are seeing and hearing us, we are more accountable of our habits and actions.
   
6. You can cater to your child’s needs by providing one-on-one attention – While there are many benefits of group learning, there are also many benefits of individual learning that cannot be ignored:
   • I can make move the topics around according my child’s interest.
   • I can focus on her learning style and cater to her needs accordingly.

I am not certain if I will be continuing homeschooling after my daughter turns seven but God willing, I will reassess our situation and circumstances and decide based on that. However for now, this is what is working for us Alhamdulilah. I will be sharing our approach to homeschooling and what we do on a daily basis on Instagram and detailed posts about resources and printables every now and then on this blog inshaAllah.