Quick Catch Up on our Three Young Adults

This is just a quickie post as all three older children have heard some good news regarding their desired careers. I love being the parent of young adults who are all so excited about their lives, their futures and their goals. Anyway…

Thomas

Thomas’ big goal is to become an international aid worker, helping out with natural disasters such as floods, fires, famines and the like. However, he did not want to go to university in order to achieve this. So, over the past couple of years he has been busy curating the work he does, both paid and volunteer, with this ultimate goal in mind.

He has been a reserve in the British Army for a few years now. This has taught him so much and has taken him all over the world. Last year, he trained with our county’s search and rescue squad and is now a fully fledged member. He works for them on a volunteer basis (in fact, I think everyone does). This means he is called out of work for local rescues, which he finds both exhilarating and heartbreaking in equal measures. Over the past few months he has been jumping through all the hoops to begin training to become a fireman for the Fire Brigade. Pending his upcoming final medical, he has been accepted to start his training on a full-time basis in April.

From this, the goal is to eventually transfer to the London Fire Brigade. He needs to do this in order to be considered for aid work. This upcoming training is the next vital step in becoming an aid worker.

Lillie

Lillie has really come out of her shell since going to the UAL, particularly this year. She has achieved top grades in all of her projects so far this year. Every day she fights to ensure she is able to obtain the university experience she needs for her goal of becoming an art therapist.

You may remember I wrote about her art exhibition to raise money for a local teen mental health charity. The exhibition focused on eating disorders. Another of her projects this year focused on disability and London Transport. It is some work from this project that she sent in for an exhibition on Compassion on London Buses. They have accepted the two pieces she sent in. Once the exhibition is over, I’ll share her work (I’m not sure if I should before the event).

Anyway, this is a large exhibition run by a London university so is an incredibly exciting opportunity for her. It has been amazing watching her develop into this fierce, passionate artist, who is determined to use her ability to communicate through art to help others who are struggling.

Charlotte

Last but definitely not least (I’ve done this in order of age!), Charlotte. Charlotte has been a prolific writer since she was seven. I know deep within my heart that one day she will be a published author. She has written many books, mostly fiction but also one or two non-fiction and a few poetry books. The first few she self-published on Amazon and one of them gained traction (Icarus Falls). She has been sending off her books to publishers for a while and has such a great attitude to being turned down. Only today she was turned down once more and said to me that it was okay because this just meant she was closer to being Steven King! Steven King famously got turned down multiple times before getting a book published!

A few weeks ago, she sent in an excerpt from Icarus Falls and they asked her to send them the first three chapters. A couple of weeks ago, they contacted her to ask her for the entire book to read. This does not mean they have accepted her book to be published but it is the furthest she has ever got! She is now waiting to hear back from them. Until then, she continues to write thousands upon thousands of words each day.

Homeschool is the BEST!

Three children who until they turned 16 had never been to school or college, all living their very best lives. They have big goals and are super excited about their future. I guess I wrote this because homeschooled children’s education may not look the same as schooled children’s. They may or may not have qualifications that look like schooled children. But that does not make their education any less.

Lillie has managed to get into a top art uni with only two GCSEs to her name, having resolutely refused to take any more exams. Through a mixture of home study (her photography diploma) and her Foundation Diploma in art and design, she obtained the UCAS points equivalent to three A* A Levels.

Thomas is forging his own way in the world, determined to navigate a successful path to achieve his dreams without ever setting foot in a university. And Charlotte, well it is Charlotte I am most proud of. She has a serious neurological disorder which at times massively limits her life. She lives her life with such courage, dignity and an openness that is astonishing. Charlotte would have been my most academic child who found all types of academics to be easy peasy. I always thought she would be the one to go to university. Lillie was my least academic child and she is the only one so far who has ended up at university.

Not What We Thought…

I laugh at myself sometimes. The plans of mice and men… God just turns all of those plans on their head and shows us that if we can just let go and let God, we can all live the most incredible fulfilling lives, beyond our wildest imaginations. I’m so incredibly grateful we followed His lead all those years ago, to not send our children to school. It truly has been the biggest blessing ever. It is the gift that keep on giving ❤️