When you hear the term ‘anarchy’, what do you think of? Do you think of fire? Maybe flags and scary, black-masked figures throwing Molotov cocktails? That’s the usual picture for most people. So why in the world would I want to associate my Home Ed journey with that image? Come with me, dear reader, on a tour of Home Education starting with a dictionary and ending at the Republic of Rebel-nest…

To apply Marx in a bit of a random way, I decided that ‘from each according to their ability’ and ‘to each according to their need’ applied to housework too.

What does Anarchy really mean?

There are two main definitions of the word ‘anarchy’. The first (thanks, Oxford languages) is: a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems. The second is:  the organisation of society on the basis of voluntary cooperation, without political institutions or hierarchical government; anarchism.

I’m proud to say that both these definitions can be applied to my little family unit, and were especially true around the time my blog was born. I’ll openly admit that I do not recognise the authority of a controlling education system. I do not want strangers to control my children’s sense of self worth. I did not accept strangers telling me when I can or can’t go on holiday with my children, or what time they must show up to learn and what time they must eat, drink, and rest. And I do not accept strangers imposing behavioural systems on my kids. But is there disorder in my home? No, there isn’t, because real anarchy doesn’t have to look like that… 

The second definition of anarchy is where I really think my approach fits. I always saw my children as equals, but in an unfamiliar territory where they needed some reliable guidance. In our home, we organised our society as a group of equals with a common cause. And I never felt the need to be authoritarian, because no one was out to hurt anyone else. Any hiccups were down to inexperience and a lack of tools, so there was always some way I could help smooth things over, and everybody learned and grew without the need for me to act as a ‘hierarchical government’ figure.

Voluntary Co-operation (and Marxist Housework)

‘Voluntary Co-operation’. This phrase deserves a paragraph all of its own! Growing up, my Mum did A LOT for us. At ten, we were those kids who lifted their feet and kept staring at the telly while their Mum hoovered underneath. At fifteen, she would wake us up on school mornings with a cup of tea (honestly!). She never stopped us going places but just asked that we were honest so that she could help us get out of trouble if we needed her. And all my friends were welcome to be at the house, so that we wouldn’t be ‘hanging about in the park’. 

I learned two things from this: I would ALWAYS be open and accepting with my own kids, and I would NEVER hoover around them like a maid. But when my kids came along, chores lists seemed like a catalyst for resentment and control. So I made a choice. To apply Marx in a bit of a random way, I decided that ‘from each according to their ability’ and ‘to each according to their need’  applied to housework too. I was (most weeks!) emotionally able to ‘suck it up’ and keep the house clean. The kids were not emotionally able to do that yet, so I wouldn’t even ask because, in my mind, that way lies conflict. 

If you are a bit of a radical lefty, like me. You might be intrigued by this approach. But if you are going to give it a go, please don’t act like a doormat. I very carefully asked my kids for just enough that they would be aware of me putting effort in for the good of all. “Ooh, could you just move that toy so I can hoover there?” followed by a casual “Thanks”. And an internal observation that they hadn’t just moved the toy – they had put it in the basket. Small wins, we were making progress and they were learning to pitch in on their own terms. No ruler, see? Anarchy.

This approach paid off. I kept upping the stakes bit by bit. And eventually, I could say something like ‘I’m shattered dudes, I really don’t feel like cooking tonight.’ And one of them would say, ‘I can do it’, and there it is: anarchy in action. Voluntary contribution, and self governance, internal motivations and intrinsic values and a happy little family, too. Not a  Molotov cocktail in sight.

What the public think when they hear ‘unschooling’

You can tell what outsiders think unschooling looks like by their comments on newspaper articles and social media posts. Have a look at these paraphrased comments…

“Children need structure and clear expectations. Total freedom just sounds like chaos, not education.”  

“This feels more like parents giving up on rules than an actual learning philosophy.”  

“School teaches kids to meet deadlines and follow instructions; where do unschooled kids learn that?”  

These attitudes give me lots of practice in patience and acceptance. Because believe me, I put effort into unschooling. Literally years if not decades of making myself available, checking my prejudices and being open to new ideas, adapting, and planning, and thinking, and re-orienting. And not one of these people could honestly say the same.

And I think attitudes like this apply to anyone who rejects traditional hierarchies, aka, anarchists. People decide anarchy looks like destruction and fire, when in reality it looks more like food banks and safe spaces and giving. So I wanted to tip my hat to those food bank volunteers and warm space workers, while poking a little bit of fun at the Home Ed detractors I know are out there.

Grass-Roots

Another comparison I see between anarchy and Home Education is that they are both grass roots approaches to righting a failed system. Grass roots movements happen when ordinary people decide to take matters into their own hands and provide for themselves. Maybe that looks like food banks, or youth clubs. In the village I grew up in, it looks like local retirees stepping in to voluntarily run the library that the council could no longer afford to provide. 

These movements often more effectively solve local problems than any centralised government could manage because of the intimate knowledge and care the locals have. And again this is a perfect mirror for a Homed Educating parent’s intimate knowledge of their child and desire for them to do well, when the school system has failed to provide for that individual.

Fighting for what you believe

Now we get to the fire and flames part! Anarchists have long been associated with refusal. Refusal to be controlled. Refusal to back down, and refusal to be denied autonomy. And I think Home Educators echo these principles, especially the families who choose Autonomous Education.

And if you need more proof, take a look at the Home Educators’ response to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25, and its predecessor, Home Education (Duty of Local Authorities) Bill. In 2017-19. Both these bills propose a register of home educated children and more powers to Local Authorities, and both have seen protests, rallies petitions, social media campaigns, letters to MPs, and co-ordinated responses from Home Educators determined to fight the government overreach inherent in both bills,

Fuck you, i won’t do what you tell me

I love it when people get passionate about what they believe. And in my opinion, no-one does passion better than Zach De La Rocha, of Rage Against the Machine fame. This man is PISSED OFF and he’s not afraid to say it! The band’s first album was an instant favourite of mine in 1992 and it still is decades later. And the problems it highlights still exist: racism, inequality, greed, and  complacence.

And (judge me if you like!) I have happy memories of my kids aged about 12, reading the lyrics in the car,  sparking discussion about oppression, inequality, values, politics and wrong and right. If you’ve never listened to it, I’ll quote some pertinent lyrics for you, from the track ‘Take the Power Back’, criticising Western education systems which perpetuate Imperialist and Colonialist views.

“The teacher stands in front of the class, but the lesson plan he can’t recall.

The students eyes don’t perceive the lies bouncing of every fucking wall. 

His composure is well kept, I guess he fears playing the fool,

The complacent students sit and listen to that bullshit that he learned in school”

And, 

“In the right light, study becomes insight,

But the system that dissed us, teaches us to read and write”

A rock band reminding us that sometimes, institutionalised education has an agenda and Western Education systems play a role in wiping out traditional cultures. And that learning can happen anywhere, from any inspiration. 

Our destination: The Republic of Rebel-nest and Learning Anarchy

Which brings us back to the Republic of Rebel-nest. Don’t worry, I can explain. When my kids began to be interested in politics, we did lots of exploring and looked at where our views as individuals lined up with various political stances. We decided that the UK’s current democratic system has some obvious flaws and my youngest discovered the Free Republic of Liberland, while researching systems of government. After learning that our home is ‘freehold’, meaning essentially we own the land as opposed to leasing it, we decided to declare our territory a republic, and named it the Republic of Rebel-nest. 

Rebel-nest is a place where all beings of all species are welcome, we pitch in together and we only have one rule – Be Excellent to Each Other! We never did get round to designing a flag, but we do have plans to build a Little Free Library at the border. Oh, and we think we have one of the best education systems on the planet!

Learning Anarchy

So yes, I chose ‘Learning Anarchy’ as a placeholder for everything we stand for in our lives. For all the reasons above and more. I love the energy I often felt when my kids and I were all busy with our various self-directed, passion-fueled learnings, bouncing off each other, inspiring each other and bringing discoveries to each other. No Molotov cocktails in sight – only voluntary cooperation, mutual respect, and kids who grow up knowing that true authority can never really be taken, but it can be earned. Welcome to Learning Anarchy!