The weeks after leaving school

What is deschooling, and how long should it last?

Deschooling is the adjustment period after a child leaves school, when very little formal work happens while the child and parent unwind school habits and find a new rhythm. A common rule of thumb is about a month for every year in school, but many families start light lessons after two to four weeks.

Skip to signing up ↓

What it looks like

Lots of reading aloud, outings, cooking, building, games and sleep. Your child may seem to do nothing for a while, especially if they left because school had become hard. That is the point of it.

It is for the parent too

Most parents arrive expecting school at home: a timetable, a desk, six hours. Deschooling is when you notice that a focused hour or two covers a lot, and that learning happens outside lessons.

When to start lessons

When your child is calmer and curious again, or when you need a routine for your own sake. Start with one subject for 20 minutes and build up. In Clareza the Short lessons support splits practice into 10 to 15 minute pieces.

Keep a record anyway

If your state counts days or hours, note reading, outings and projects during this time. Check what your state asks for.

What this is not

  • Deschooling is not a legal status. Your state's notice and record rules still apply. Check yours.
  • Clareza is a structured course. It is for after deschooling, not a way to skip it.
  • Nothing here is medical advice. If your child is anxious or unwell, talk to a professional.

Start 30 days free, when you are ready

One price for the whole family. Cancel any time in a few taps.

Look inside all 71 courses firstEvery unit, every skill, every objective. No account, no card.

or start now

What grade(s)? (optional)

Free for 30 days. We take a card now and charge nothing until then. $29 a month after that, for every child in the family. Cancel anytime in a couple of taps. Cancel before day 30 and you pay nothing at all.

Before your child starts: what we collect and why

We collect only what it takes to teach your child: the first name and sign-in you choose, their answers and progress, and their chat with Clara (written by Anthropic's AI, read aloud by OpenAI). Nobody trains AI on it or sells it, and you can see or delete it any time. You create your child's account yourself. Paying by card is how you give consent.

Read what we collect and why

Your consent is needed before we collect anything from your child, and we collect nothing without it. You create your child's account yourself; they never sign up alone.

  • What we collect from your child: the first name and sign-in you choose, their answers, time on lessons and progress, and their chat with Clara. Used to run the lessons, build their transcript and show you how they are doing.
  • Who else handles it: Anthropic (an AI company) receives the chat text and the lesson, with your child's first name but no last name or account details, to write Clara's replies. That is how Clara works, so it is part of the service. If you switch on answering out loud for a child, their voice is turned into text on our own server and then discarded; it is never sent to another company. OpenAI turns lesson text and Clara's replies (which can include your child's first name) into the read-aloud voice. Our email provider sends you reports about your child. Nobody trains AI on your child's data, and nobody sells it.
  • Your rights: see everything collected from your child, have it deleted, or stop further collection at any time, from your account or by emailingour support address. If you refuse the AI sharing above, Clara cannot teach, so the service cannot run. Chats are deleted after 30 days.
  • Safety: if your child writes something suggesting they may be hurt or in danger, we email you and Clareza's owner the same day.

Paying by card is how you give consent. Full details, including how long we keep each thing: Privacy Policy (version 2026-10-05).

By continuing you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Rather see it first? Try a full lesson free

Questions parents ask

How long should deschooling last?

A common rule of thumb is a month per year in school, but many families start light lessons after two to four weeks.

Is deschooling legal?

Deschooling is a parenting choice, not a legal category. Your state's homeschool rules apply either way, so check yours.

What do you do during deschooling?

Read aloud, go outside, cook, build, play and rest. Keep a simple note of what you did.

Also written up

Starting homeschooling in the middle of the year →Secular homeschool curriculum →What a homeschool curriculum costs →Using Arizona ESA funds for homeschool curriculum →Is there a free secular homeschool curriculum? →Where can I find free printable homeschool math lessons with answers? →What is a good secular kindergarten homeschool curriculum? →Is there a complete secular homeschool curriculum for grades 1 to 5? →What is a good secular homeschool curriculum for middle school? →Is there a secular homeschool curriculum for high school that gives a transcript? →What is a good secular homeschool math curriculum from kindergarten through high school? →Is there a secular homeschool science curriculum that follows NGSS for every grade? →What secular homeschool English curriculum goes from phonics to Grade 12? →Is there a secular homeschool history and social studies curriculum for every grade? →What is a good homeschool phonics curriculum for teaching my child to read? →Does an online homeschool curriculum include art, music, PE, Spanish and electives? →Is there a homeschool curriculum that covers all my kids for one price? →What homeschool curriculum helps a child who is behind grade level? →What if my child is ahead in one subject and behind in another? →How much screen time is an online homeschool curriculum? →Is an AI tutor safe for my child, and can I see what it says? →What does an AI homeschool curriculum do with my child's data? →How can I try a homeschool curriculum before I pay for it? →What does a homeschool day look like with an online curriculum? →How do I keep homeschool records, hours and a transcript? →Is there an open-and-go homeschool curriculum with no lesson planning? →Is there a homeschool curriculum aligned to Common Core and NGSS? →How do I switch my child from public school to homeschool? →Is an online homeschool curriculum accredited, and does it need to be? →How do I choose a homeschool curriculum? →Is there a homeschool curriculum my child can do on their own? →Is there a homeschool curriculum that reads lessons aloud for a child who struggles to read? →Does Clareza have learning games, and can I turn off the timers? →Can I pay for an online homeschool curriculum with ESA funds? →Is there a homeschool curriculum that does the grading for you? →What homeschool curriculum works for a child who is ahead? →Is there an online homeschool curriculum with a teacher built in? →What writing curriculum works for a reluctant writer? →What spelling program works for a child who reads well but can't spell? →Is an online school like K12, Connections Academy or Acellus Academy the same as homeschooling? →How do I know if my homeschooler is on grade level? →What should I be doing with my 3 or 4 year old? Do I need a pre-K curriculum? →My child refuses to do homeschool. What do I do? →I'm overwhelmed homeschooling. Am I doing enough? →Can I homeschool a subject I'm bad at, like math? →How do I homeschool with a toddler or baby in the house? →What do I need to buy to start homeschooling? →How does a homeschooled child go back to public school? →Should I unschool, use unit studies, or follow a structured curriculum? →How do I homeschool a child with a learning disability? →How do homeschooled kids get socialization? →Who gives a homeschooled teen a diploma, and how does dual enrollment work? →Can I homeschool while working full time? →Can a single parent homeschool? →How do you homeschool while traveling? →How do I help my public school child at home after school? →How do I keep my child learning over the summer? →Should we homeschool year-round? →What is the best homeschool math for a child who hates math? →What homeschool math should my middle schooler do before algebra? →What is a good Algebra 1 curriculum for homeschool? →What is a good homeschool geometry curriculum, with proofs? →How do I do high school lab science at home? →What is a good reading comprehension curriculum for homeschool? →How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten at home? →What homeschool curriculum works for a child with dyslexia? →How do I homeschool a child who can't sit still? →Do I need a homeschool co-op, and how do co-ops and outside classes fit in? →How do I homeschool an anxious child? →How do I teach computer science and coding at home? →How can I teach Spanish at home if I don't speak it? →What should a homeschool health curriculum cover? →Is there a homeschool psychology course for high school? →How do I teach creative writing to a homeschooled teen? →How do I teach handwriting and cursive at home? →Should I teach my 4 year old to read, and how? →My child mixes up b and d or can't blend sounds. Is that normal? →Should I teach sight words or phonics? →How do I teach my kindergartner or first grader to write a sentence on their own? →How do I do read-alouds at home, and what if my child won't sit and listen? →How do I find books at my child's reading level? →How do I teach grammar at home, and does my child need a separate grammar program? →How do I teach my 4th to 8th grader to write an essay? →How do I teach geography at home? →When and how should my child learn to type? →How do I teach my child a second language other than Spanish, like ASL or our family's language? →How do homeschooled kids learn music or an instrument? →How do I plan a homeschool year? →What should a weekly homeschool schedule look like? →How do I keep homeschool materials and paperwork organized? →How do I keep up with housework and meals while homeschooling? →Can I mix different homeschool curricula, and how do I keep it from getting messy? →Which learning apps are worth using for homeschool? →Should I hire a tutor for my homeschooler? →What is a hybrid homeschool or microschool, and is it right for us? →Should I use ChatGPT or other AI for homeschooling? →How do I do hands-on science with young kids at home? →How do I teach life skills and chores as part of homeschool? →How do I handle video games, and can games like Minecraft count as learning? →Is homeschooling right for my family? What are the pros and challenges? →What do I say when family or a doctor disapproves of homeschooling? →How do you homeschool five or more kids? →Can I homeschool if my child or I have a chronic illness? →How do I homeschool a child with a speech delay? →My teen is years behind in school. Can they still catch up? →What is Charlotte Mason homeschooling, and how does it compare to a structured curriculum? →What is classical homeschooling? →How do I use Montessori at home? →How do I help my child learn math facts and times tables? →Can you start a homeschool curriculum in January? →Is it OK to switch homeschool curriculum in the middle of the year? →What grade should my child do when we start homeschooling mid-year? →How do I get homeschool going again after winter break? →Can I homeschool just for the rest of the school year? →Should I homeschool my child because of bullying? →Can my teenager start homeschooling in the middle of high school? →What should the first week of homeschooling look like? →Do you need a curriculum to homeschool? →Boxed curriculum or online curriculum: which is better for homeschool? →How can I homeschool on a tight budget? →Is it a good idea to homeschool an only child? →Can grandparents homeschool their grandchildren? →Can homeschoolers play sports for the local public school? →Do homeschoolers have to take standardized tests? →What goes in a homeschool portfolio? →How do I give grades and report cards in homeschool? →Should homeschoolers take the SAT or ACT? →What do I do when my homeschooled child hates reading? →How do I teach fractions at home? →Should I choose homeschool curriculum by my child's learning style? →How do I teach logic and critical thinking at home? →How can homeschoolers practice public speaking? →How do I teach civics and government in homeschool? →How do I teach personal finance and economics in homeschool? →How do I teach vocabulary at home? →How do I teach my child to tell time? →How do I teach my child to count money? →Is there a homeschool statistics course for high school? →Can I pay for Clareza Academy with Alabama CHOOSE Act ESA funds? →Can I pay for Clareza Academy with Arkansas EFA funds? →Can I pay for Clareza Academy with New Hampshire EFA funds? →Can I pay for Clareza Academy with South Carolina ESTF funds? →Homeschooling a child with autism or ADHD →Homeschooling in a military family →Homeschooling while you work →Homeschooling a child who is ahead →Homeschooling a child who had an IEP →