'We made the right decision' Nadia Sawalha on why she chooses to homeschool her daughters

The TV presenter is mum to Maddie, 14, and Kiki-Bee, nine

Nadia Sawalha has spoken out about her decision to homeschool her two daughters, saying that she has no regrets about the choice to withdraw them from mainstream education.

Speaking to HELLO! magazine, she explained that she first thought about homeschooling when she realised that Maddie, 14, and Kiki-Bee, nine, were struggling in conventional classes.

'They struggled in class and really thought they wouldn't excel in anything. But ever since I took them out of school two years ago, they've become more confident and passionate and are brimming with enthusiasm to learn,' the 52 year old told the mag.

She adds that both girls originally attended a private prep school, but are much happier since making the switch: 'I made the classic mistake of thinking that if I worked hard, I could put my girls through the best education.'

'I didn't know that, although it was a good school, it was the worst school for them. Children learn in different ways and the constant stream of tests made them feel that learning was something to fear. Now they find it exciting and are keen for knowledge.'

See more

She realised that things needed to change when Kiki became particularly stressed and withdrawn in 2014, saying that her youngest daughter was in a 'terrible state'.

'Not only was she getting thinner and paler she was also crying every day. Kiki was so anxious that she couldn't sleep or eat and when the school recommended she cram over the summer holidays, she became stressed that she couldn't learn anything.'

The girls are both now educated at home, where Nadia says that they are 'excelling', and have big dreams for the future.

'Kiki wants to be an animator while Maddie has ambitions to act or become the first female director of a big budget action movie. The world really is their oyster. We only have to look at our girls' progress to know we made the right decision.'

GoodtoKnow

Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for mums. Established in 2007, our 15-year-strong archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles, 1,500 how-to videos, and 7,000 recipes.