Joe Wicks has opened up about his decision to take his eldest daughter out of school after a year in reception class.
The Body Coach shares three children: Indie, five; Marley, three; and 11-month-old Leni, with his wife Rosie.
And last month, the 37-year-old revealed that he and his wife had decided to homeschool little Indie, sharing the news with his 4.6 million Instagram followers.
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In a post, he explained: “There’s really nothing more to the decision than we just love being together as a family and want to spend more time with the kids while we can.
“She had a great year in reception but we have always loved teaching the kids at home and want the freedom to travel more and explore the world.
“She might go to school next year. We have no idea long term but want to do at least a year of home educating.”
In a new interview with The Times, Wicks has given more details about why he and Rosie decided to try their hand at homeschooling.
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“It’s not like I’m saying, I’m going to homeschool my kids and go and live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. It’s really just about our lifestyle,” he said.
He went on to stress that the decision isn’t forever but that he wanted ‘another year’ where they could make the most of their time together as a family.
Wicks added: “I don’t want to be someone who isn’t present in my children’s life.
“What I try and give my children is stability and love, and I want them to know I’m always there for them.”
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Wicks had previously shared that he and his wife don’t allow their kids to use phones or tablets - and insists they don’t miss screen time as ‘they’ve never had it’.
He said: “They do watch Disney or Netflix on TV but don’t know how to use a phone and don’t have an iPad… They read, write and speak well because it’s all they’ve ever known.
“They don’t miss iPads or screen time because they’ve never had it. One thing I’m most proud about with my kids is how friendly, open, chatty and confident they are with new people.
“Most days we look round and Indie and Marley are off making friends with other adults in restaurants or by the pool cracking jokes. Their personalities are not an accident. They are a product of their surroundings and the stimulation they get every day.”
Claire Reid