Why We Chose Homeschooling in Riyadh (School Fees, Safety & Identity) | Yasmin Rehman

In this episode of Inside Saudi, we're joined by Yasmin, a Muslim expat mother who has lived in Riyadh for five years and made the bold decision to homeschool her children.

We talk honestly about why international school fees, often 40–75k SAR per year, and long school hours didn’t feel right for their family, why she chose no nanny, and how homeschooling has changed their daily life.

Yasmin also opens up about what it’s like to live between cultures, not fully fitting in anywhere, and why raising children in Saudi Arabia feels safer and calmer than life back in the UK.

This conversation also dives into:

• motherhood without family nearby • identity, faith, and belonging • Ramadan and the meaning behind fasting • a powerful, emotional story about being on Westminster Bridge during the 2017 attack and what it was like to be Muslim in the aftermath

This is a raw, thoughtful conversation about motherhood, faith, safety, and choosing a different path.

🎧 Listen now and let us know what resonated most with you.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction 02:50 Trying a nanny in Riyadh 05:45 Choosing no nanny and teamwork 14:10 Living between cultures 16:05 School fees in Riyadh 18:10 Why we chose homeschooling 19:25 School hours for young children 28:00 Safety and raising kids in Saudi 30:45 Parenting anxiety and feeling calmer 33:15 Why she is starting a moms circle 41:45 What Ramadan really means 46:50 Being on Westminster Bridge 51:10 Being Muslim in the aftermath 59:30 Final reflections

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