There Is No Better Way To Teach Your Kids About The World Than To Let Them See It For Themselves.
We home educate our children because we believe they can learn more about the world by letting them see as much of it as possible, we also believe we can teach them what's really important in life, like love, family and all that nature has to offer, stuff they DON'T teach you in school.
Don't get me wrong, books are great and there is a lot to learn from them but I believe, that more than half of their education should come from Experiencing what the world has to offer, from embracing the different cultures, hearing different languages and tasting all the flavours of the world.
Morocco
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There are some things you just can't learn from a book, like what it feels like to look down at the clouds from 3,479m up in the Sierra Nevada, Spain.
Chasing snakes in Andalusia, Spain.
Chasing seagulls on a Beach in England.
After all that fun then it's time to get the book's out and we find that they are a lot more willing to learn from a book as they know it's only a small part of their education, as opposed to only being taught from books and ipads like at school.
I don't know anyone on this planet that could say what we are giving our children is anything other than an amazing life experience that they will truly benefit from in the long run, but that's exactly what the Swedish government is saying, in fact, they are going as far as to say that what we are doing is child abuse and that we are denying them their right to a proper education.
What do you think my fellow steemians, are we really abusing our children?
Peace and love to the World
Resteemed!
This post received a 5.0% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @thedanzel! For more information, click here!
Abusing your children?! Haha! Goverments are abusing children and adults alike. Government = Slavery. It is the naked truth. It is always funny when the subject of slavery is being mentioned by a politician. I am teacher by profession. But the education system has opened my eyes to the horrors of forced education. Fully upvoted Mark. Love your posts.
Thank you @thedanzel
That's great that you are a teacher and that you see the horrors of forced education, thank you for your continued support of our blog.
We love sharing our lives, especially with people like you.
Thanks again for stopping by and the resteem :)
This post received a 2.7% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @thedanzel! For more information, click here!
Hi @markwhittam! What a beautiful article with a great message. I just accidentally ran into it while surfing through the https://steemit.com/created page. Lucky me! :-)
If I had kids, I would educate them in the very same way.
I resteemed your article hoping that it will find an even wider audience :) Have a steemy weekend!
Wow, Thank you @surfermarly we really appreciate that you would do this for us, we are big followers of your blog and love reading about your adventures :)
That's so cute, thank you! :) It's been my pleasure and I will follow your (family) adventures, too, now!
Wow thank you @surfermarly, check out the big green steem machine, our tinyhouse that we travel around in, this bus is any surfers dream :) thanks again :)
Thanks, found it through your re-steem. :)
Excellent :)
Replied to your message in the steemit.chat btw.
Yo tambien! Gracias!
:-)
Letting your children learn about the world by experiencing the world is the true way. Books are fantastic, but not the dull, theoretical stuff at schools, taught by strangers. This is my last year in education, because I now see that I contribute to the educational system, which forces kids to be put in rooms 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 40 weeks a year, from age 5 to 18. Who can raise a child better than its entrusted parents? This was a lovely article to read just before my departure to Indonesia. You've got my love and support. May we show children the beauty of the planet by being part of the planet. Outside, all senses wide open. See you in 4 weeks! Will miss you bro.
Thanks buddy I'm really glad you liked this piece as I feel very strongly about it, and it's great to have you a teacher and @thedanzel tell me the same thing, I have another friend who is a teacher that homeschools for the same reasons.
Have a great trip my friend and I look forward to getting a 100% upvote from you when you get back and your voting power is a full potential, ;)
Thanks for this good information
You are most welcome, thanks for the feedback :)
U are welcome, please visit my blog and Support
This comment has received a 0.13 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @hamzaoui.
This comment has received a 0.13 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @hamzaoui.
Great post!
I couldn't agree more. I have taken my family to multiple countries and many states in just 6 years. They can have conversations with adults, swim in freezing rivers, climb mountains, harvest and eat wild eatables, and so much more.
The truth is that the education system was designed to create a work force to follow rules and fuel the global elite industrialization and consumerism word.
I have been starting to post a lot about how capable children can be when given real opportunities to experiment, observe, interact and CHOOSE for them selfs how they learn and use their time. Its quite amazing.
Great to see you all living it up and sharing here on Steemit.
SteemON!
Wow, What you are giving your children can't be measured by grades like A's or F's, it's pure life what you are teaching them.
Schools nowadays are just churning out factory workers and truck drivers, people are coming out of university with 30k debt to stack shelves at the local supermarket. I'm just waiting for the rest of the world to wake up to this madness. I look forward to reading your posts about children's capabilities, as I too believe they are massively underestimated by a lot of parents, my children have, and continue to blow me away with their understanding of the world and how it works.
Thanks for the interaction @quinneaker
I totally agree!
Its nice to connect with someone here on Steemit on that path. I just wrote two good posts about my family/children this week if u wanna check em out.
I will also be writing a lot more about it as I feel its of the utmost importance.
Gret to connect with you.
SteemON!
Would you like to have a guest with our children?i'm sure that they will learn a lot from you.Although it is difficult in our country Turkey,we will try same way at least.
Yeah sure, come and visit our eco-community in Portugal next year :)
I have friends from Turkey and Syria but I never knew it was different to home educate your children.
Thank you for stopping by.
When will you be in Sweden? next summer we will be there . In past ıt was possible but now Unfortunately,in Turkey no permission for home education and actually here , can not be said to be a school education ;-)
Excellent post, you guys should be really proud of yourselves. Stuff the government, what 'education' actually means varies from person to person and government, just continue to do what you feel is right. Nice one!
Thank you @abh12345 and yes we are proud actually, especially when we get reactions like yours, it really makes us feel we are doing the right thing :)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us :)
@markwhittam I love reading your posts! You and your wife are doing amazing things for your children's lives... Keep going.
lots of love,
@mysticlilly16
Thank you @mysticlilly16 comments like this makes it all worth it. I'm glad you enjoy reading about our journey :)
There's no better way to teach your children, I'm trying to do the same.
Keep goin, you on the right path! Cheers!
Nice post :) @markwhittam
Oh God, Thanks to people like you the world is a better place!
I wish I had the bravery to just travel around experiencing the world the way you do it!
Your kids are getting the best education possible! No doubts there and don't allow anyone tell you otherwise. Obviously I am hoping you actually sit down with them to show them basic maths and generic "school" material too ;-)
Keep blogging and steem on!
Wow, Thank you for the compliment.
Before doing it I was also thought it was a scary thing to do, bit once your out there you quickly realize that it's nothing to worry about.
Yes we do teach them the basics, English and Math skills, and when they get older we will find or start a education center where they can learn stuff we can't teach them.
But for now this works just right.
Thank you for stopping by.
Have a lovely day
Great post! I have one daughter as well she is 9 years and half and of course she is at school. Honest to be i am not happy at all about the educational sistem from my country. Too much information that the kids have to learn and everything done in a very booring way. I belive all kids should have fun in this procces of learning or at school. Sometimes i feel like they go to a job not to a place to educate them... but it is what it is! I am lucky in a way because i am working on a cruise ship so i travel and see the world so i take my daughter with me when she have the school vacation.It's great to see your travels with your family and just wait to read about the community you want to build! And Mark always Steem on!
Thank you @georgemales you are the doing the best you can for your child and she knows that I'm sure.
Thank you for following our blog and taking the time to read our posts, and who knows maybe one day you will come and join our community. :)
Thanks a lot for the kind words! I don't know about joining the community but 100% i will visit one day that's for sure!
Thats really a good parenting. Wish you all the best for future
Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so :)
Wow. Wish you all could be my parents! 🤗 Keep on brother. You're are definitely doing what's best for your family. And what a beautiful family you have. May God bless you all on this adventure!
Wow, thank you @coolbowser that gives us a huge boost reading comments like yours, we really appreciate it.
You bet. Always look forward to your posts!
It's cool to have an opportunity to travel with kids and don't worry about work, money, their health. Our travels with kid are only to the village or nearest river/forest
Thank you, we now see worrying as a complete waste of imagination, but I must admit before we set out on this adventure we were also a little worried.
Thanks for the feedback
Looks like a great life to me @markwhittam! Another inspirational post for us all to enjoy.
Hope you and your beautiful family are doing well my friend!!
Thanks Brother, we are enjoying making these post as much as you seem to be reading them, we love the fact that people interested in our lives, because up until now we have pretty much got stick for choosing this lifestyle, our families have been saying for 4 years "OK you've had your fun, time to buy a house and get a full time job"
Thanks again for your continued support :)
Hi Mark from an unschooling family. The same thing is starting to happen in the UK now, with nasty insidious bills coming in to basically force home/unschooling parents to be "regulated" by the state. In so many ways I cannot tell you how wrong this feels. We keep getting told that our daughter "won't learn anything unless she's at school", which just makes me laugh, as she's learned so much already, without ever having had a single a day in a school or a nursery. Or indeed without us her loving parents. And when you understand that the state (especially in the UK) for YEARS AND YEARS has both turned a blind eye to, and in many cases been complicit in the direct abuse of children who were supposedly in their care. It genuinely makes me angry when I think that the state thinks that our kids belong to them. They have no idea of the power of a Daddy Bear to defend his cubs!!!
Great post...keep it up, and let's keep telling people about the joy, power and exceptional results of living as a none-mainstream-education family. It's so much more fun experiencing different things in the world WITH your children, than spending your time in a soul-less office whilst your precious ones are in a government indoctrination camp.
Big follow. Thanks for the post!
Thank you @anarcotech
It seems we have much in common, it's a shame that the uk gov is cracking down on home education, I thought that was the one thing uk had going for it was the fact homeschooling was accepted, we have lots of friends there that home school.
I've heard about the fines, but thought as long as you're kids never started school then it was OK.
I grew up in care in England and know all to well what it's like to be "looked after" by social services. I have friends from care with stories that would give you nightmares.
I feel this is a great place for people like us to get the word out there, I have not received one nasty comment since being here, just pure love and support.
Let's keep in touch :)
Thanks for reaching out to us
We have homeschooled 4 kids and the oldest is now in college. Her work ethic and study habits far surpass most of her classmates. Her homeschool education was very basic, yet, working at her own pace she was able to get all she needed through reading, writing and math. Feel free to check her out on Steemit, she's just getting started ( @addijayne0911 )where she recently wrote about how this education gave her the best problem solving skills. You are doing the right thing, friend. It may take a little time to really see it, but what you are doing is absolutely priceless.
Wow that's great, yes I have read studies that suggest kids that have been homeschooled are way ahead in many aspects.
Look forward to checking out @addijayne0911
Post after I have finished replying to all these lovely comments from all you amazing steemians.
Thanks for the compliments and the interaction.
Peace
Very beautiful family, I agree. Children should learn the beauty of our world and cultures..this will make them to have a more open mind
Thank you I am so glad that so many people on steemit agree with us,
thanks for stopping by
Great post you guys, new follower and fellow homeschooling family here. I love your message and what your doing for your kids! Upvoted and resteemed!
Thank you @hewetthomestead
Much appreciated, and we shall be following you from now on :)
Don't listen and try to keep them out of school as long as possible. School just destroys children's creativity and potential and most important... their enthusiasm. You are doing the right thing! I really admire your lifestyle. I think it's beneficial for all of you.
Thanks @mkt I agree with you 100%
I appreciate your feedback :)
Great article and great message to everyone on steemit! I think I will be the same way, I want my kids to see the beauty of our world with their own eyes! As I am right now :)
Thank you for your kind words, we really appreciate the good feedback, the world is there to be discovered by all, big and small :)
You are doing everything right. Keep it up.
We believe so too, thanks for the words of encouragement :)
Thank you for sharing these inspiring life lessons! How wonderful to see how you enjoy life for the fullest and at the same time learn more than can be thought spending a lifetime reading books.
Upvoted by the xx_Votes_Plus curation trail! Want more earnings? Follow @dropahead in Streemian https://streemian.com/profile/curationtrail/trailing/396 and/or delegate some STEEM POWER to @dropahead! Keep up the good work!
So wise and inspirational!
I agree with you!
Thanks for agreeing, it feels good to have people on our side :)
Nice nice very useful post @markwhittam great work...this is realy true story in our life... thank you so much sharing your valuble knowledge with all steemians...I think you are one of better steemian in this platform...nice work...keep it up sir..GOD BLESS YOU
Wow, Thank you for all your compliments, reading comments like yours really lift us and make this all worth it. We love it here and will continue to put real, original, inspiring content out there for you all to enjoy :)
Thanks @dinisanda
Wel come sir @markwhittam
Where I'm from (Serbia) homeschooling would probably be considered crazy! But I love the idea of it, life experience, exploring the world and adventures like yours can be eaqually, if not more important than most of the stuff kids would learn at regular school. I personally think that education is important but a big chunk of what they teach us at school, we don't need in everyday life.
Upvoted and followed :)
Fantastic comment, thank you @nikolina
Yes we get that reaction here in Sweden, people think we are insane.
We believe education is very important, but what they are teaching in schools nowadays doesn't help kids with real life skills, they don't teach you how to be responsible with money or how to have a heathy family life.
All they seem to be doing at the moment is churning out factory workers and truck drivers.
Thank you for the interaction. :)
Followed back.
So true. I Holland they have a huge problem now because they have a generation of highly educated college kids coming into the work pool. But not enough welders, electricians, plumbers etc. because the emphasis has been on how important a college education is. What I find here in Ireland when I tell people that we home school is that they mention social skills and socialising. I always tell them: my daughter used to take the bus at 8 in the morning, and come home at 5 pm. Then dinner and 1 to 2 hours of homework. When would she have any time to socialise? In school they're not allowed to interact during lessons and in their little break time they have to chug down their lunch. I always invite people to come have a look when there is a home education meeting, the kids are very well socialised, they get along, they don't bully or argue about stupid things.
I admire people like are you, who stand by their believes and are not afraid to live their life no matter what other people say. Very brave! :)
I am so agree with you !!
I feel like I learn a lot more travelling after school than at school!!
I have a daughter of a year old and thinking to homeschool her!
Keep travelling, keep your freedom !!
Lovely and happy family
Upvote and follow
Thank you for your comment.
I think it's a good idea and your daughter will love you for it, kids just want to learn from their parent's. Thanks for the follow, followed back
Great article @markwhittam I love the photos! No, what you are doing is the greatest thing you could do for your children: showing them the world, letting them experience life, other cultures, food, people etc. The swedish government couldn't be more wrong, and all other places where they make home education impossible. Or force people into submission, like in Sweden and like in France next year when vaccination becomes compulsory. The school system in many places is still like it was 100 years ago. They can do so much and improve things left right and centre, but somehow they haven't figured out how to improve education. They just don't want to, because they want to breed the same kind of slaves they always have. Readers, not thinkers. Well done you guys. For taking responsibility for your children and not letting the state do it instead. Much love from me.
Thank you @misslasvegas
Great comment, it seems the more people are starting to wake up, the more big governments are cracking down on what freedoms we have left, compulsory vaccinations is proof of this.
Readers not thinkers, followers not leaders.
Thanks again for your worthy feedback.
That looks like an amazing adventure! I think as long as they are also learning math and things they may actually use in life, there is absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing!
Even the "free-est" of countries in this world have institutional governments who refuse to allow people to live their own lives in their own way. I live in America, and the same thing happens to many people living here. If your children aren't becoming a cog in their wheel, they get very upset...
I recently started a curation effort around parents on steem, and created the #steemdads and #steemmoms tags! I would love to see more posts about your child(ren). If you use one of these tags on your posts, I will be watching, upvoting, and promoting.
If you'd like to chat with other parents, I've also started the SteemParents Discord Channel!
Upvoted, Resteemed, and Following!
Thank you @thatsweeneyguy
Countries that claim to be free like ours are the ones to watch out for, at least in some of these dictatorship countries you know where you stand as they are upfront about there wicked ways.
Great idea, at the moment I have very little time over for discord chats, but I will be using
@steemdads in the future.
Thanks for reaching out to us.
Followed :)
Oh course you know what's better for your children than the government. Lots of people homeschool where we are. And there are lots of get togethers for the kids to socialize.
Great post @markwhittam! We have been traveling and homeschooling for four years now and this is our favorite way to learn. We 100% agree with you - reading about a place is great, but it is even better to fully experience it through travel. Thank you for sharing! :-)
This is great, I'm so glad to meet other families that are traveling and home educating there children. Have heard from friends that do the same that when the children get to about 12 that they say OK enough is enough I want to stay in one place and be with my friends. I was interested to see how old your children are and if you have seen any signs that they want to start settling down?
We often ask our children what they want, and they always want to keep on traveling :)
Thanks for the feedback.
If I had children I would definitely homeschool and not send them off to be indoctrinated in a gov school. You're doing it right.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. Much appreciated :)
100% agree with you - reading about a place is great, but it is even better to fully experience it through travel. We are perpetual travelers (4 years now) and the kids have been able to experience various places and cultures. It's eye opening and deeply enriching. If it were me (and btw, I have been through a similar situation of being challenged for homeschooling) I would politely challenge the Swedish government to provide valid evidence that you are denying your children education. Valid evidence. They (governments) like to make statements to make you believe they have authority or evidence, but governments rarely site evidence. Why? Because they don't have any. They have codes and statutes, but that is not evidence - tho they will try to convince you that it is. Please keep blogging about this situation and your homeschool travels. The world needs to hear about it. Thank you for sharing! Great post! :-)
Brilliant another homeschooling/traveling family, I just wrote this to @saturnme, who has also been doing this for 4yrs, have a read and let me know you thoughts :)
Yes I am very into statutes, legalese and all the tricks governments play to make us think we have to comply with their stupid Maritime laws that they have adapted to the land,
I am an avid freeman, but knowing all this doesn't seem to carry any weight over here, people in Sweden have concept of "governed but consent" and that we can say no.
Over here the law is the law,
Thanks for reaching out to us :)
Following :)
Child abuse... mmmmm no!
I don't know what the schools in Sweden are like, but here in the US we have outcome based Prussian model communo-fascist indoctriantion day camps.
You're giving them a real education. The state wants to turn them into a homogenous glop. Congratulations on home education. One of the best decisions we made as parents was to home education.
My daughters are eighteen now, highly intelligent, functioning and well able to get along in the world.
Pretty much the exact opposite of what everyone warned us would happen if we didn't hand them over to the "experts" for proper education.
Resteemed
To be honest, what I've heard is that Swedish schools are actually good compared to the rest of Europe, but from what I see everyone here is exactly the same, there is very little in the way of individuality and independent thinking, people here all seem to follow the rules like good little sheep, when you step outside the norm like we have you get a very strange reaction from most people, they really give you a wide berth, people here never seem to question the system and avoid any type of conflict.
It's great what you have done for your children, and your family is living proof the home education works better than sending them to concentration camps.
Thanks for the feedback @anti-sophist
An amazing caption indeed! Today's education system lack practicality, to be frank! Children are taught nothing about values nor are they getting prepared for addressing real life issues! And also one thing I noted is that children are often told to focus on studies so that post graduation their life be easy! How on earth is that so? Education is just the first step, after that they are expected to focus more and work hard to make their life happen! Nah but today's kids I see they walk into a company and think they will be the boss in a couple of months as they believe they have graduation and dont know why they kind of feel like they deserve it, lol. And also that you are taking your children around, why not India too https://steemit.com/life/@alexkoshy/india-life-and-tourism-here-s-should-you-consider-touring-india
Btw I stole your Upvote Resteem GIF, Hope you forgive me!
Thank you @alexkoshy
This is so true what you say and I'm glad you agree with our views.
We dream of going to India and we definitely will one day. Thank you
Oh and I stole that giff so it's only right that you do too :)
This post received a 1.7% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @markwhittam! For more information, click here!
I have deep respect of how you guys are teaching the real value of the world to your children. Keep educating them the real way man!
Thank you mate, It means a lot to get this kind of encouragement, we really do take it all in and appreciate it so much :)
@markwhittam, you have always be the primary educators for your children (since day 1).
I congratulate you on understanding that right and responsibility. My wife and I choose to educate our kids from home. There is a lot of booking learning, but so much that happens in everyday situations. following
This is so great to read! We also homeschool..well, "WorldSchool" :D I'm sorry the Swedish Gov. is being so close minded. I speak from experience: Children bloom learning about cultures, other people, places, nature, etc when they get to "live" it themselves. I was also homeschooled and I wouldn't know any other way of doing things. I love how free my own children are and how "outside the box" they think.
Well done for home educating your kids... MUCH better for them.
Wonderful pictures of your fantastic family and adventures - thank you for sharing!
Resteemed!
Great photos. Wish i was home schooled like that lol.
Thank you, yes I too wish I was homeschooled, I might of actually learnt something if I was. :)
Thanks for the feedback
I give you an A for effort.
Okay, I'm joking.
We also homeschool, and no grades here. I don't know what category we fall in, but definitely lean more towards unschooling. Unfortunately, traveling the world is not possible for us at this time. We are actually book fanatics, and instead have dual library memberships. The kids read what they want, and learn about what interests them.
Looking forward to following your adventures!