"Homeschooling is better than school - childhood should be for playing instead of structured learning"
- 3 months ago
A woman believes homeschooling kids is "better" than sending them to school - and says childhood should be for "playing" instead of structured learning.
Hannah Koumakis, 24, was home schooled with her three siblings for seven years of her education - from the ages of six to 14.
Her mum, Delwyn, 57, taught them academic subjects as well as teaching life skills such as budgeting and business skills.
Hannah would get all her work done by 8am and was able to play with her sisters, Rebekah, 28, Christy, 26, and her younger brother, Luke, 19, for the rest of the day.
She believes being homeschooled made her more "street smart" and says it's "better" than sending kids to school.
Hannah, a self-employed podcaster and business owner, from Auckland, New Zealand, said: "It's better.
"I'm grateful I was homeschooled.
"It let us be kids and play.
"It was so flexible.
"It let us be very creative.
"It's what your childhood should be like."
Hannah went to a private primary school before her parents decided to homeschool them all.
She said: "It was a novelty at the start. It was very fun.
"My mum was very dedicated.
"We did music, recorder and knitting.
"We went to McDonalds and KFC and analysed the calories. She taught us all about fast food."
Hannah said it became less structured over time and she was able to be more flexible.
She said: "I would wake up and get all my work done by 8am.
"We trialled it all. Some weeks I'd do all my work on Monday."
Hannah was also taught about real life skills such as how to budget.
She was given $140-a-month in pocket money and had to budget and record her finances in a book - buying almost everything she needed for herself.
Hannah and her siblings had to use the money to pay for their own essentials like clothes, meals out with the family and school trips.
Each month she would put $70 in long-term savings, $20 in short-term savings and $14 to charity - leaving her $36 to spend.
Hannah said: "Spending and saving are such important lessons.
"I don’t think there is enough education around it, and I feel very lucky to have had that growing up.
"It has helped me masses in life. You’re never going to not use that skill - parents should do it if they can.
"In 2007, $140 was a lot more than now.
“Our dad would make us write all our finances down in a book.”
Hannah said she was always busy and would be spending time doing sports, volunteering and going to creative classes.
She also met up with other homeschooled children and families and they had balls and events.
Hannah said: "We never really miss our on anything.
"Every single thing you could do at school - we did."
Hannah says homeschooling also meant her could parents could take them on holiday when they pleased.
They had to finish all their schoolwork early one year for a trip around Europe.
Hannah said: "It was the best history lesson you could get."
Hannah's parents decided to put her back into school aged 14 and she says she was put into a class for less advanced students.
She said: "It was the dumb class.
"I remember being the first to finish all my work."
Hannah was moved up to the highest class and said she "thrived" in a last few years of education.
She said: "I personally think homeschool is amazing from primary school.
"If people can they should homeschool their kids.
"You get a better relationship with them and get to teach how you want.
"My childhood was full of play. I'm very privileged."
Hannah Koumakis, 24, was home schooled with her three siblings for seven years of her education - from the ages of six to 14.
Her mum, Delwyn, 57, taught them academic subjects as well as teaching life skills such as budgeting and business skills.
Hannah would get all her work done by 8am and was able to play with her sisters, Rebekah, 28, Christy, 26, and her younger brother, Luke, 19, for the rest of the day.
She believes being homeschooled made her more "street smart" and says it's "better" than sending kids to school.
Hannah, a self-employed podcaster and business owner, from Auckland, New Zealand, said: "It's better.
"I'm grateful I was homeschooled.
"It let us be kids and play.
"It was so flexible.
"It let us be very creative.
"It's what your childhood should be like."
Hannah went to a private primary school before her parents decided to homeschool them all.
She said: "It was a novelty at the start. It was very fun.
"My mum was very dedicated.
"We did music, recorder and knitting.
"We went to McDonalds and KFC and analysed the calories. She taught us all about fast food."
Hannah said it became less structured over time and she was able to be more flexible.
She said: "I would wake up and get all my work done by 8am.
"We trialled it all. Some weeks I'd do all my work on Monday."
Hannah was also taught about real life skills such as how to budget.
She was given $140-a-month in pocket money and had to budget and record her finances in a book - buying almost everything she needed for herself.
Hannah and her siblings had to use the money to pay for their own essentials like clothes, meals out with the family and school trips.
Each month she would put $70 in long-term savings, $20 in short-term savings and $14 to charity - leaving her $36 to spend.
Hannah said: "Spending and saving are such important lessons.
"I don’t think there is enough education around it, and I feel very lucky to have had that growing up.
"It has helped me masses in life. You’re never going to not use that skill - parents should do it if they can.
"In 2007, $140 was a lot more than now.
“Our dad would make us write all our finances down in a book.”
Hannah said she was always busy and would be spending time doing sports, volunteering and going to creative classes.
She also met up with other homeschooled children and families and they had balls and events.
Hannah said: "We never really miss our on anything.
"Every single thing you could do at school - we did."
Hannah says homeschooling also meant her could parents could take them on holiday when they pleased.
They had to finish all their schoolwork early one year for a trip around Europe.
Hannah said: "It was the best history lesson you could get."
Hannah's parents decided to put her back into school aged 14 and she says she was put into a class for less advanced students.
She said: "It was the dumb class.
"I remember being the first to finish all my work."
Hannah was moved up to the highest class and said she "thrived" in a last few years of education.
She said: "I personally think homeschool is amazing from primary school.
"If people can they should homeschool their kids.
"You get a better relationship with them and get to teach how you want.
"My childhood was full of play. I'm very privileged."