When You Know School Isn't Working — And You're Still Waiting for Permission to Leave

You've spent more time on drop-offs, pickups and meetings this week than your kid has spent actually learning.

You keep telling yourself the routine is good for them. They come home flat anyway.

You can see it isn't working. You just can't picture what else looks like.

So you stay on the fence. Another term. Another meeting. Another 11pm google.

What we cover

Why most homeschoolers in Australia didn't plan to homeschool — and what 'accidental homeschooling' actually means
The two competing fears keeping you stuck — and which one usually wins in the end
What 'enough is enough' really looks like (it's rarely one big moment — it's bankruptcy logic: slow, then very fast)
What a homeschool day actually looks like when you're not running school-at-home
The legal stuff schools won't tell you — you don't need their permission
Why $50k a year still doesn't fix this, and what you might actually be paying for
How to take a term off without making a forever decision
Why bullying gets reframed as 'resilience-building' at school but is illegal at work

Why this episode matters

The fence is the hardest place to live. Most parents sit there longer than the kid can afford. Rebecca has spoken to hundreds of families about why they finally jumped — and the answer isn't 'they were ready.' It's that the fear of staying finally outweighed the fear of leaving. This episode names the decision underneath the decision, and hands you a permission slip you probably didn't know existed.

This episode is for you if

You've tried two schools, maybe three, and nothing's stuck
The meetings have started to outnumber the actual learning
You keep saying 'maybe next term' and next term keeps not coming
You're more scared of Uncle Ned's questions at Christmas than you'd like to admit
Part of you knows it isn't working, and part of you can't picture what else looks like
You've already googled 'homeschooling Queensland' at 11pm and closed the tab

For more about Dr. Rebecca English

https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/r.english

Jane's Related Episodes

S1 EP63 — The Episode That Led Jane to Choose Homeschooling (Nicki Farrell, Wildlings) 👉 https://adhdmums.com.au/63-episode-that-led-jane-to-choose-homeschooling/

S2 EP7 — Raising Strong Children: How to Support Without Always Solving Their Problems (Emma Rose Parsons, Spectrum House) 👉 https://adhdmums.com.au/podcast_episode/episode-7-raising-strong-children-how-to-support-without-always-solving-their-problems/

S2 EP33 — Autistic Burnout: Self-Awareness Part 2 (Jane solo) 👉 https://adhdmums.com.au/podcast_episode/episode-33-preventing-autistic-burnout-practical-tips-for-neurodivergent-mums-and-their-children/

S3 EP20 — SCHOOL SERIES: How to Choose a School That Won't Break Your Kid (or You) — Millie Carr https://adhdmums.com.au/podcast_episode/episode-20-how-to-choose-a-school-that-wont-break-your-kid-or-you/

📬 Check out my Free Resources on Schools:

Choosing the Right School

https://adhdmums.com.au/product/the-school-choice-kit/

The School Complaint & Escalation Guide for Parents

https://adhdmums.com.au/product/school-complaint-escalation-guide/