Should I stop writing about Home Education?

Should I stop writing about Home Education?

I recently received feedback from more than one blogger that I should maybe consider stopping these posts and to be honest it isn’t the first time.

I have been very fortunate recently to have had some amazing response and views to several of my posts. In fact these posts have achieved more in one day than I would often have in some weeks!

However, from what I can gather some, maybe new as well as existing, readers had repeatedly returned to my blog to see what my latest post was (wonderful that they thought I was good enough for that!) but some were instantly put off when I did my recent Home School post.

Subsequently, and once again, it has prompted some people to ask why I write about Home Education when they much prefer my parenting posts or my really deep and personal posts.

I love blogging and all the things that go with it; reviews, friends, community and freedom of speech all make it a great hobby and place for me to have a creative outlet. However, I dislike is the idea that “one blog fits all”.

I can totally understand that people want to keep to one aspect and theme on their blog such as “Parenting”, “Fashion” and “Education”. Whatever you are passionate about you can carve a corner of the internet out and write freely on that theme. Within this concept it is great for me as a reader to think “I would love to know something on XXXX” and to be able to go to one specific blog to find out.

However, the other side to this is the people, like me, who just use their blog as a creative outlet. I purposefully chose my blog name, almost 7 years ago, so I could have the freedom to write what I want without having to go through the whole idea of renaming and rebranding.

Yet, what would you say my theme is? The one topic that people would go “Oh check Martyn out, he’ll know”?

I can completely understand that Home Education is not for everyone and to many they are put off from reading my blog regularly but for me my parenting is 90% Home Educating.

The days that I have with the boys are Monday to Thursday and being part of a mutually agreed Home Ed co-parenting couple the majority of their education falls on my head; I am more than happy for it to be this way.

I wouldn’t say that I am a natural parent and especially not a “natural Dad” but I have always taken pride in my job as a teacher; either working in EYFS, Primary Schools or by teaching music privately, teaching has always felt more natural.

So, as you can see, home educating the boys is an integral part of my parenting and within that I want to write about it, share activities and document the fun that we, as a family, have.

From my perspective, my Home Ed posts are not ways for me to preach, promote and convert one family at a time. Instead, I see them like any of the many craft posts you see from parent bloggers that provide insightful, educational and engaging topics for school aged children.

This view, and the combination of my motto “Education and learning doesn’t need to just be 9-3 Monday to Friday”, allows me to see it better than a blatant hierarchal dictatorship to the best way to educate children.

I do, however, still write about my array of topics rather than just Home Education but I would also like to think that this is something that is directly focused on me. I am, as far as I know, the only dad blogger to write about Home education in the UK. (Although I know of a couple of parent bloggers who have dads contributing as well as a great podcast)

Why would I give that unique point? Or change the topic of my blog or what I post to please the few people that dislike reading it?

There will be a week or more that I might not post what we are doing in our schooling, especially now the summer holidays are here, and focus on a particular theme or topic but that doesn’t mean that I am growing in a different direction,

I will still continue to write about different things and I am happy that I am not going to be the next top “parent blogger” or “Dad Blogger” because my reach is varied. My approach is mine and I enjoy the distinctive home within blogging that I have created.

Will I then stop writing about it because others disapprove? No!

This blog will always be my outlet and documentation of my time, highs and lows, for the boys and I to look back on.