Life

Bringing it all back home: The hidden benefits of domestic schooling

An increasing number of parents are educating their children at home, a move which brings plenty of advantages as well as challenges

Carmel Duffy with her youngest child Aidan at the family home in Meath: ‘As a result of how they grew up, my children can grow their own food and even build a sustainable house.’ Picture: Barry Cronin

Most of us live within “the system” – we go to work, pay our bills, buy our food from the supermarket or local suppliers and send our kids to school.

But there are some who have a different take on life, and choose to live a freer existence while trying to be as self-sufficient as possible – growing their own food, educating their children themselves and generally opting out of the route most of us ...