Our Yorkshire Farm star Amanda Owen has revealed that her son Reuben “feels cheated” over one of her parenting decisions
Amanda Owen has opened up about the challenges and decisions that come with raising her nine children, admitting that her son Reuben “feels cheated” over a choice she made early in their lives.
The star of the popular Channel 5 series Our Yorkshire Farm, who split from her husband Clive Owen in 2022 after 22 years of marriage, recently opened up to the Made by Mammas podcast.
Amanda, also known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, has forged a career chronicling life on her family’s extensive Yorkshire farm and spoke about her approach to homeschooling and the lessons she has learned as a mother.
“I did [consider homeschooling all her children]. I think, getting older — I’m 50 now — you gain a bit more confidence,” Amanda told the podcast. “If I’m being honest, Raven, my oldest, always says, ‘Oh, you just practiced on me. You were just learning what you were doing.’
“By the time you get to, say, your ninth child, their childhood is very different to the older children. You get your confidence a bit more, you feel you’re in a stronger place.”
Amanda explained that her decision not to homeschool all her children was partly influenced by the social attitudes at the time. “I know Reuben, my second oldest, feels a bit cheated because he would have loved to be homeschooled. He’s of the same mindset as Sydney, who is homeschooled.
“But at that point, it was kind of beyond the pale. Back then, you really were pushing the boundaries — if you did homeschooling, there was a little bit of a general consensus that you were a bit ‘out there.’ Now, homeschooling has become more mainstream.”
Despite the criticism she faced, Amanda emphasized that her choice has always been about what is best for each child individually. “The reason we homeschool isn’t about following a trend. With nine children, they all have such different characters.
“It’s not a matter of saying, ‘You’re all going to be homeschooled,’ because I don’t believe that would set them all up with the best start in life. Instead, it’s about looking at each child individually. They’re not like peas in a pod.”
The Owen family, who live on a working farm in North Yorkshire, have become familiar faces on British television, with Amanda often sharing candid insights into the joys and challenges of farm life. Her children, Raven, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clemmie, Nancy, and Reuben, each have their own distinct personalities and interests.
The star’s comments also shed light on the complexity of parenting after her separation from Clive, with Amanda managing both the demands of a large family and the responsibilities of running a farm, while her former partner lives next door.
Source: Mirror
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