A mother has disclosed her decision to withdraw her 12-year-old daughter from school to prioritize her budding career as an influencer.
Kat Clark, a mother from Queensland's Gold Coast, boasts 5.2 million TikTok followers and was honored as the Creator of the Year at the platform's annual awards ceremony in 2022.
The 37-year-old mother is the host of the popular Australian podcast "Basically Besties," which she co-hosts with her daughters Latisha, 20, and Deja, 12. Known for her strict parenting approach, Kat sets clear rules and boundaries for her children.
In a recent episode of the podcast "It's All Her" with Jody Lucas, Kat Clark explained that traditional schooling was suitable for her daughter Deja during her primary school years when Kat had a corporate job.
However, with her new career as an influencer and the frequent travel involved, the 9-3, Monday to Friday school schedule no longer works for them. Deja is also starting to receive opportunities in the industry, prompting the need for more flexibility in her education.
"We've found that we've had to take her out of school quite a bit," Kat Clark said.
Kat Clark has decided to enroll her daughter Deja in homeschooling for the upcoming year.
By opting for homeschooling, Kat aims to provide Deja with the necessary support and resources to pursue her aspirations while accommodating their travel demands.
"We think that's best for her, just because we don't want her to miss out on these opportunities. TikTok takes a lot of time. It's just what works for our family."
After completing high school, her second daughter Latisha initially enrolled in law school, but she left six months later to pursue a career in podcasting.
'With Deja, if she wanted to be a doctor or lawyer - we'd encourage her to go after those dreams. But currently, those are not what her goals are. We're willing to work with her whatever happens,' the mum said.
"I honestly love working so closely with my daughters. It's so much fun, it's like working with my best friends," she said.
The decision made by Kat Clark has sparked various opinions among Australians with some individuals expressing support for allowing children to follow their passions and explore non-traditional career paths at a young age.
On the other hand, there may be individuals who emphasize the importance of completing formal education and believe that children should prioritize their academic studies.
A female without a good education will be at the whim of men all her future years. The one thing no one can take from you is education because at some time someone else and something else will take away your business, one person concluded.
I don't think it's legal to remove your child from school unless you can prove you will be home-schooling her, the second commented.
So sad, that child is going to have a very shallow and narrow view of the world, someone said.
How gorgeous. You go girls! Another encouraged.
