What if my child wants to go back to school after starting home learning? 

Parenting Perspective 

Honour Their Feelings and Listen Patiently 

It can feel disheartening when your child insists on returning to school, especially when you have invested so much time and care in planning home education. But wanting to go back does not mean you have failed, it may simply show that your child’s needs, social desires, or comfort levels have changed. Start by listening without dismissing their feelings. Ask gentle, open-ended questions: what exactly are they missing about school? Is it friends, clubs, certain lessons, or just the familiar routine? Sometimes what they crave is more about connection than the classroom itself. 

Exploring Solutions Together 

Explore whether you can meet some of these needs within your home-school plan, perhaps by adding more group learning, enrolling them in community classes, or arranging regular time with friends. Share your thoughts honestly and involve them in any decisions. It may help to consider a blended approach, combining some school time with continued home education, or you might decide together that returning fully to school is best for them right now. Remember, your goal is not to prove that home-schooling must always succeed, but to do what truly serves your child’s wellbeing and growth. Change does not mean failure, it can be healthy if you make choices with calm reflection and trust, not fear. Keep communication gentle and realistic; when your child feels heard, they are more likely to trust that every decision is made with their best interests at heart, InshaAllah. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches us to hold our plans lightly, trusting that every family journey is shaped by Allah Almighty’s wisdom. Parenting is not about rigidly sticking to one path, but about responding with compassion and trust in His guidance. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verse 216: 

‘But perhaps you hate a thing, and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing, and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not. ‘

This Ayah reminds us that sometimes what seems like a step back may lead to greater growth. 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 2646, that holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated: 

‘Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make the path to Paradise easy for him. ‘

This Hadith Shareef reassures you that your efforts have not been wasted. The time spent together, the Dua you made, and the lessons learned at home remain part of your child’s Tarbiyah. If a return to school is the best next step, do it with gratitude and trust, knowing you can continue to be your child’s first teacher in faith and character. Pray for guidance, adjust where needed, and remember that every step taken with sincere intention brings reward and Barakah.