I love the way that life will often present to me two sides of a coin, and leave me to draw my own conclusions.

Take the case of two ladies that I know.

JM didn’t have a very academic education, and gave up her chance to go to university to clear the way for her younger brother. She has always felt that her lack of education has held her back and that she hasn’t been able to make much of her life. She always wanted to be a social worker, but it just wasn’t to be.

Then there is my Mum. She didn’t have a very academic education and left school to go work in a factory. She had no chance of going to university but was determined not to let her lack of education hold her back. At the age of 45 she began studying with night classes. At 50 she went to university. When she graduated with her degree she became a social worker and worked for 10 years until she retired.

Such different stories.

JM, you see, believes the accepted wisdom that ‘education’ is a noun. A ‘thing’ you get given. The problem with that is that you have little control over whether you are given a ‘good’ one – or a ‘bad’ one.

My Mum believes education to be a verb. Something you do. And you keep doing until it is serving you the way you want it to.

Isn’t it amazing what a grammatical error will do!

I guess I have been influenced by my Mom! I don’t think education should be a race that everyone tries to finish by the time they are 21 – with lots of competition to be the winner with the most qualifications.

Instead it is a journey that we undertake throughout life – and use to suit our purposes.

So how are you homeschooling your children? Are you ‘giving’ them a good education? Or are you helping them to take action on their educational journey?