'I'm not sending my daughter to school. Here's what we're doing instead.'

When people ask why we're not sending our daughter to school, I can always sense what they're really wondering: Do we actually know what we're doing?

It's a reasonable thing to wonder. Most parents follow the familiar route. You enrol your child, trust the system and hope it sets them up well. But for Jack and me, that route doesn't line up with what we understand about learning, the world our kids are growing into, or who our daughter Ariella is.

This decision isn't theoretical for me; it's deeply personal.

By the time I was in my final year of high school, my self-esteem had reached such a low point that I would often dissociate from the environment altogether. I was mute. I didn't even take a pen or a notebook; my school bag was empty, like my spirit.

Watch: It's okay if you're not still friends with your school friends. Post continues after video.

I attended seven different schools growing up. I experienced bullying. I also previously worked in a role which gave me insight into the education department from the inside. I saw how the system operates, and more importantly, what it prioritises.

That's the system that 'worked.' That's what I survived. And now I'm supposed to trust it with my daughter?

When Jack and I talked about Ariella's future, we realised we were arriving at the same answer but from opposite directions.

I knew what the system could destroy. He knew what it failed to build.

The skills that made Jack successful are critical thinking, adaptability, self-direction, and most of all, the ability to solve problems that don't have textbook answers. None of those skills came from sitting quietly in rows for 12 years. They came despite school, not because of it.

Jack grew up surrounded by education. His parents ran a not-for-profit organisation that helped at-risk youths get into training and employment. He dropped out of his degree after three months because the system was too slow to satisfy his hunger for learning.

Today, Jack is the founder of The Entourage, which has trained over 500,000 entrepreneurs globally. Now he's building AI systems that are transforming how businesses learn and operate.

Given our unique vantage point, we can see what the future of learning will look like: AI-powered tutoring that can teach the basics, literacy, numeracy, and foundational knowledge in a fraction of the time it takes in a traditional classroom.

Not replacing human connection, but freeing kids up for more human connection.

A hybrid model where AI handles personalised instruction at each child's pace according to each child's preferences, while in-person educators focus on what actually matters: problem-solving, communication, and creativity. The skills you can't automate.

World schooling.

So, here's what we are doing instead: world schooling.

Learning through travel, experience, and real-world connection rather than four walls and a curriculum designed decades ago for a world that no longer exists.

When we travel, I find local educators through agencies such as Joive — usually mothers with childcare experience who can create consistency for Ariella wherever we are.

She spends her days at indoor play centres, parks, libraries for story time, and swimming lessons with other kids. She's never struggled to make friends.

What surprises people are her communication skills. At the playground, she will approach other children and ask, "What's your name?" and then proudly share her own.

She strikes up conversations with people of all ages, from all walks of life, and has even learnt a few words in Spanish. She also checks in on people's emotions:

"Are you happy? Are you sad?"

She's learnt about animals by seeing them in person; "pink mingos" are her favourite.

Is she advanced? Maybe. Or maybe it's just what happens when a child spends less time sitting still and more time engaging with the actual world.

Of course, this is a privilege that we don't take lightly. We can afford to travel, to hire educators, to design Ariella's life this way. Not every parent has that option, and our parents were no different.

Amanda with Jack and their daughter, Ariella. Image: Supplied.

Most parents work full-time and don't have the luxury of turning their lives upside down to homeschool, and that's okay. Jack and I both grew up in homes like that.

It's not about homeschooling 40 hours a week; it's about engaging your kids in life and learning beyond the classroom.

This could involve supplementing school with what actually matters today — helping them build skillsets like problem-solving, creativity, financial literacy, and technology.

And then being more intentional about connecting them with the community and mentors, such as sporting teams, local groups, or simply spending time around people doing interesting things.

And I know this sounds like a significant investment of time and energy, but you don't need to dedicate hours a week to this.

You just need to recognise that school isn't enough on its own, and as parents, we can and should supplement it.

We've heard from thousands of parents who are taking everyday steps to be more involved in their child's learning. Whether that's giving them projects they can take ownership of at home, including them in family planning, or just having meaningful conversations.

Will we get everything right? Absolutely not. But we're choosing intentional over conventional. 

Maybe Ariella will choose a traditional school one day. Maybe we'll adjust course. But for now, we're building something different. And we're backing ourselves—along with the growing number of parents who are questioning whether there's another way and realising the system needs reimagining.

Read more about schools and the education system:

• 'To the mums with kids struggling at school, I see you.'

• 'I'm a kindergarten teacher. Here's the difference between sending your child to school at four or five.'

• 'I'm a school teacher. Here are 4 things to consider when choosing a school for your child.'

Feature Image: Supplied.