It's a long story really how I came by this decision for me and my oldest son but, I finally legally am doing it!!
I now find myself a wee bit scared, excited nervous but, hopeful that this will work for him. After all I have been doing it since he was two years old. I only did it then though because I knew he was ready AND I quite literally ran out of things to teach him.
I know, you're saying teach him?? lol That's right this post is nothing tawdry or salacious, it's simply me openly affirming that I'm jumped headfirst into the homeschooling world!
I wasn't left with much choice in the matter really.
DW, who has TS, ADHD, OCD, SPD, ODD, etc...was born incredibly bright. Not just my momma pride bragging either. By 1yr he was speaking in complete sentences and not only speaking clearly but, using the words properly. By 2yrs he was talking in paragraphs, using bigger words than he should’ve for his age and even going so far as to correct our grammar or pronunciation if he noted something was said wrong. lol By 2 in fact, I ran out of what normal parents teach their child. He knew all the ABCs by sight, he knew how to count to 20, he knew all his primary and expanded colors, he knew all the basic shapes and then some, he even was doing 24 piece puzzles unaided! He was hungry to learn so, what was I going to do?! Sit and say my job is done? NOPE! I gave him what he wanted, he wanted to learn some Spanish, I taught him the little bit I remembered from ESL teaching back in high school. He wanted to learn writing his ABCs so I started teaching him. He wanted to know all about tornadoes, thunderstorms, etc. So, we bought books went online, etc. By 3yrs old he was cruising the internet like he'd been born with a mouse in his hand.
So, when he was placed into a special needs pre-K, I thought he would excel. He did too. In fact, he did so well that he became bored in class and his inattentive behavior became worse, he was more withdrawn having no challenges in class whatsoever and he began to get into trouble more and more. The thing he was going to school for, sensory issues and learning to socialize properly, was now going backwards. The school district cutting his OT and cutting it. He was withdrawing from class because of noise, his inability to hold still becoming more and more an issue. His TS tics becoming louder and more disruptive. It just became a nightmare for him and for me. So, I pulled him from it last year but, still it was only a preschool. The same preschool, he'd been attending for almost two years. No big thing really.
I chose to do this because:
A) he is at a mixed level. Half of him is at a Kindergarten level and the other is at a 1st grade level (Science and Math).
B) It is unfair to the other students....according to the school district, to make some of the accommodations DW might need. Such as a chewy device when he begins to chew on his writing utensils or clothes, a small yoga ball to sit on when he can't hold still so he can complete his class work, etc. While I was highly irritated at these kinds of responses, I understood their point.
C) As he's getting older, his tics are now more frequent, louder, a bit more aggressive and obviously, a bit more distracting to other students. His attempt to hold them in during public outings leads to explosive episodes when he gets home. That look more painful and are sad to watch.
So, when I decided to homeschool him. I did so because it would best suite him and his needs. Not from some idiotic, twisted need to keep my son with me at all times, as some naive people would have you believe! Believe me, it would be soo much easier if he were in school 8hrs. I would only have 1 child to focus on and run after. lol
I look forward to this year with some trepidation....worrying about whether there will be issue since he's special needs, worrying that the bad times will be REALLY bad, etc. I also look forward to it all! I remember as a child having to college level scores in reading, science, etc. I remember the boredom, intolerance and frustration of having to wait for everyone else to "get it". Even in the G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) class, it was still more of the same. Waiting for us all to get on the same page, I remember just being aggravated all the time! If I'd had ODD and ADHD, among other things, I can't imagine how those years would've gone!
So, offering him the freedom to go at his own pace....slow down when and if he needs it or speed through something he finds child's play, is my gift to him. I know that he will not always appreciate that but, I know what it would've meant to me. I also know that it will allow him the freedom to be himself and I can't imagine a greater joy!
Wish us luck!
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