Introduction

Most families don’t think much about schooling. Children reach a certain age, and they go to school. That’s simply how life works.

In October 2021, our family stepped outside that pattern. We began homeschooling our two sons, who were then in 7th and 4th standard.

At the time, I wrote a few short posts here and there about what we were doing. They were mostly notes to friends who were curious. I didn’t expect the experience itself to last this long, and I certainly didn’t expect to write a book about it.

On July 1, 2024, The Indian Express published a story about our homeschooling journey. After that article appeared, many parents wrote to us with questions. Some were simply curious. Others were quietly considering something similar for their own children.

Answering those questions slowly turned into longer reflections. Over time, those reflections became the pieces that make up this book.

I titled this book Our Homeschooling Experiment deliberately.

First, because it is ours. What we tried grew out of our own family situation — our children, our interests, our limitations, and our temperament as parents. Some of what we describe here may be useful to you. Some of it may not fit your context at all. My hope is not that anyone copies our approach, but that our reasoning and our small experiments give other parents a few ideas to think about.

Second, because it is still an experiment.

Our sons are still learning. They are still at home. They have not yet gone to college or entered the workforce. I do not know how this story will eventually turn out. So far, I do not regret the decision we made. But the results are still unfolding.

I have generally approached life this way — trying things, observing what happens, and adjusting along the way. Homeschooling became one more area where that mindset shaped our choices.

One last clarification may be helpful.

I am an enthusiast of homeschooling, but not an evangelist. It has made sense for our family. Even before we started, I had spent some time reading and thinking about it. Later, events like COVID, the rise of generative AI, and the uncertainty many young people feel about future careers only made those questions more relevant to me.

At the same time, I do not believe every family should homeschool. Many children thrive in school, and many parents simply do not have the flexibility to consider alternatives.

But it may still be worth asking the question.

This book is simply a record of what happened when our family did.

Note: This is a work in progress, which means there will be grammatical and structural errors. My first priority to get the draft for all chapters and then edit for clarity.