Why we're homeschooling
November 20, 2024
My wife and I are homeschooling our kids.
Not because we’re anti-education. Because we’re pro-learning.
The Current System
Schools optimize for compliance, not curiosity.
Sit still. Don’t question. Memorize this. Test on Friday.
It worked for the industrial age. We needed factory workers.
We don’t live in that world anymore.
What We Want
Kids who think. Who question. Who create.
Kids who keep their fitrah - their natural state.
Kids who learn because they’re curious, not because they’re scared of failing.
The Plan
We’re not recreating school at home. That misses the point.
Instead:
- Morning: Quran, Arabic, Islamic studies
- Midday: Math and science through projects
- Afternoon: Whatever they’re interested in
Some days that’s coding. Some days it’s cooking. Some days it’s just playing outside.
The Tech Angle
I’m building tools as we need them:
- Quran memorization tracker
- Math problems generator
- Science experiment logger
Nothing fancy. Just solving our problems.
The Challenges
It’s not easy.
We doubt ourselves daily. Are we ruining their future? Are we being too idealistic?
But then I watch my kid spend three hours absorbed in how ants work. No bells. No schedule. Just pure learning.
That’s worth the uncertainty.
Resources We’re Using
- Khan Academy (math)
- Quran.com (Quran and Arabic)
- YouTube (everything else)
- The outdoors (the best classroom)
Early Results
My eldest can focus for hours on things that interest him.
He asks “why” constantly.
He’s not afraid of being wrong.
These feel like wins.
The Long Game
We’re not trying to create prodigies.
We’re trying to raise humans who think, who care, who contribute.
If they end up in traditional school later, fine. But they’ll enter with curiosity intact.
For Other Parents
If you’re considering this:
- You don’t need to be a teacher
- You don’t need a curriculum (at first)
- You do need patience
- You do need to trust the process
Start small. Even one day a week. See how it feels.
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire. We’re just trying to keep the fire burning.