The best thing about homeschool isn’t the incredible high academic standards, the fluency of several languages (for my kids, anyway), the amount of free time the kids have, the respectful behaviour of the kids, but it’s how it strengthens the bond between the children and the parents.
Whenever I come home from work all 3 of my kids, without fail, come running to me, give me a quick hug. I never did that to my parents.
We have so much fun together, it’s hard to describe. It’s the small things. We often give each other high fives as we go past one another, we go swimming together, go for runs together, I wrestle with all 3 of the kids (amazing exercise), often have paper-ball fights – the last time we got in trouble as we destroyed a glass vase.
Small things matter a lot more to homeschooled kids, because they don’t have 100’s of other kids to put them on a high all day. The kids have always bought me presents, really thoughtful ones even if I’ve been a bit slack myself. And once a week they cook my wife and I a gourmet 3-course meal.
My youngest daughter, Sabeen’s favourite pastime is lying down hugging me, while I ask her questions that she knows the answers of!?
Yes, the kids are innocent, but I think they should remain that way for at least a few more years.
I’ll often go on about how amazing a maths and physics teacher I am, and that they’re just lucky they’ve got me. They respond by telling me how they’re child geniuses and everyone thinks I’m a great teacher just because I got lucky by having them as kids! They also love rubbing in the fact that I got rejected from Oxford the first time I applied. It’s all good fun, and the kind of innocent humour I want my kids to develop – and unfortunately not the kind that I suspect they would be exposed to at school.
The youngest, Sabeen, runs to the front door to say goodbye every time I leave the house, and asks me to stay. She’s 8. The last time I left to play squash she told me “Don’t worry, if you don’t win, you’ll still be my champion”. That’s the deepest thing she’s ever said to me. A really daddy’s girl.
When I come back from squash they’re interested in whether I won – they will tell me how I’m getting old when I have a losing streak! I mean they really take an interest in my life, in part because they have so much time.
It’s not all rosy of course. We’re in the same house a lot of the time. I lose my temper, so do the kids – and the kids do argue with each other over silly things. But that’s around 10% of the time. The other 90% is just incredible.
We are already very close friends with the kids, and I think that homeschool has played a key role in facilitating that. I suspect and hope that when adults, we’ll remain best buddies because of these homeschool years where we’ve really connected…
The Wonder Years 
Hi, Mr. Qureshi
I am amazed by how homeschooling can be a successful method to both children and parents!
Your children in the photos look very happy, and the bond between you and your children seems incredible.
I have some questions about homeschooling and studying.
1. Solving pass papers were little bit difficult for me because there were concepts I haven’t learned yet. Should I solve papers first and then study the concepts or learn them first?
2. How many hours a day do your children spend on each subjects to ace them on tests?
Actually..my parents were not really interested in education (or me) since I was young, so mostly I did things by myself. As a result, I lack time management skills and intensity. Couldn’t form a good relationship with my parents either.
Currently I’m going to study abroad alone in the US to start a new life.
I’ll probably go to schools there, but I would love to adapt positive aspects of homeschooling.
Thank you for your posts!
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1. Try learning the concepts for each past paper question. By doing this you have a goal (to answer the question) rather than you just reading and nodding your head.
2. For IGCSE Physics it was about 3 hours a day for 5 months. Less at the beginning, more towards the exams.
Thanks for your kind words and good luck!
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Hi mr asim, I’m from Malaysia, My 1st daughter just 1 year. when and what and how should I start educate her?
As for homeschooling where you get the syllabus and guide how to set time, and etc like how you do achievement record? did you attain a seminar or have parent group that doing this homeschooling. I would like to join.
and finally how homeschooled kid got friends, from neighborhood? or did you send them to other activities group?
thanks.
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Ammar, your daughter can’t be educated in a traditional sense for at least 2 years. Just play with her for now!
If you follow UK system, syllabuses are all available online for free. Results are best tracked by marks in past papers. Sorry, no seminar!
Kids can just meet other kids in the neighbourhood, or your friends’ kids.
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hello asim, your journey is inspiring! And i would like to have some advice about: i contacted the British council in Cairo and they informed me that my kid should be enrolled in a local school to take the exam. is it the same case where you are? or how do you manage that?
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At the British Council in Malaysia you definitely don’t need to be enrolled in a local school. I doubt you would in Cairo too. I think you need to make a big fuss about it. The British Council in Malaysia often gives incorrect information – I’d imagine they do in Cairo too.
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