15 Comments
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Kate Waring's avatar

Thank you for sharing your year. I'm so happy to have discovered you here and so grateful. Your articles are inspiring, informative and also very comforting. Sending lots of love and encouragement to keep on keeping on ❤

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Kate, that means such a lot. Thank you for your kind words and support. To know people are reading and gaining some value is incredible. I will indeed keep on :-) Love to you too ❤️

Dr Sam Illingworth's avatar

Thank you for such an open, honest, and inspiring reflection, Gem. I'm so happy that your husband seems to be doing much better, and thank you for writing so powerfully over the past year for all of us to learn from. Even those of us who don't homeschool our children. Happy New Year to you and yours, and looking forward to what 2026 brings.

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Thank you Sam, for all your support and kind words. Your presence and engagement here on Substack is much valued by so many, myself included. Best wishes to you and your family too 💫

Gem Barnes's avatar

This is beautiful, Gem. And an honour to walk the home Ed path with you and your beautiful girls, and our friendship, together. Looking forward to adventures in alignment for 2026 together xx

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Ah thank you my wonderful friend. Likewise! Honoured to walk with you guys too, and yes super excited for more of our special times and adventures together in the year to come ❤️

LOVE LEARNED LATER's avatar

So beautiful and insightful. I love the pictures. I'm happy that I have you in my email box, dear Gem. Happy New Year!

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Ah thank you so much, that means the world ❤️ Best wishes to you and your family for the coming year 💫

Ayla De Grandpre | MotherLore's avatar

The way you describe alignment — not as achievement, but as shedding, responding, trusting — mirrors so much of what this season has been asking of me too. Thank you for sharing all of this. It meant a lot to read.

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

I'm so happy to read this Ayla. Your writing strikes a deep chord with me too. Grateful we have connected here, and thank you so much for your support ❤️

April | The Narrative Nest's avatar

So lovely to see pictures of you living your life. And to get caught up on your journey! 😊

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Thank you so much April. It was a fitting time to pause, reflect, and share a bit more :-) Wishing you and your family wonderful things in the months to come 💫

April | The Narrative Nest's avatar

I’m assuming you are well into the New Year now. Wishing you much rest and lots of close, connected family time. 😊

Educating Hatbeasts's avatar

What a beautiful piece of writing! All the best to you for the New Year!

Gem💎 The Natural Learning Path's avatar

Ah thank you so much! I have always loved writing, but over my years in the system felt that my writing got downgraded to technical reports only and I wasn't sure I could still write from my heart anymore. So it means more than you know to have that feedback 🙏 All the best for you and your family too 💫