A Falmouth mother who let her children play truant from school has admitted her failings after five months in jail.
Mum-of-six Claudia Ward, 42, had argued she wanted to give her children 'flexi-schooling' because she felt they would learn as much on day trips as in school.
But following her jail sentence, imposed in July 2013 after four previous prosecutions for the same offence, she says she realised her error.
As a result she now ensures her children have a 100 per cent attendance record.
Ms Ward had argued that the youngsters learned more from a "free thinking" day on the beach or walking in the woods than sat "bored in a hot and stuffy classroom".
She said: "I was all about the children having an amount of choice themselves
"If the sun was shining I would educate them at the beach, rather than make them go to school.
"If the two older kids had been up late, and in the morning just didn't fancy school, I would let them stay off.
"Some days I just wanted company and my kids are great to be around.
Her children Jack, 24, Amos, 21, Rudy 17, Annie 16, Nia, nine, and Riley, six, were looked after by family members during her sentence.
Nia, Annie and Rudy, then aged 6, 14 and 15, missed more than a third of sessions in either the morning or afternoon between September and December 2012, equalling 73 whole days' worth.
Ms Ward said: "I was shocked and did not for one second did I think they would give me a five month prison sentence.
"I had the time to reflect on the situation that had got me there.
"I accepted that my views on education were not correct and everyone must adhere to the same rules, or there would be anarchy. It was the wake-up call I needed."
"My children still have fun and go to the beach, but only after 3.30pm in the afternoon or on the weekend.
"Their absence never led to discipline problems. My children are all polite, articulate and thoughtful."
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Mum doesn't know best
Mum doesn't know best
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Mum doesn't know best
Repetition is the soul of pedagogy."... after four previous prosecutions for the same offence, ... "
yrs,
rubato
Re: Mum doesn't know best
In the US she'd be a wingnut "homeschooler" and be a hero to the Christian right. She'd be a martyr for ignorance.
yrs,
rubato
yrs,
rubato
Re: Mum doesn't know best
LOL 
The sort of thing I would expect to come out of the mouth of someone speaking at a Santa Cruz City Council meeting...
That's hippie-dippy leftie wingnut stuff, nothing to do with home schooling...Ms Ward had argued that the youngsters learned more from a "free thinking" day on the beach or walking in the woods than sat "bored in a hot and stuffy classroom".
The sort of thing I would expect to come out of the mouth of someone speaking at a Santa Cruz City Council meeting...
