Our Family - Our Homeschool
Greetings everyone!
Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog.
I’m Mary and a very new “blogger”. My husband, Ross, and I live in New York State with our wonderful daughters – Julia who is 11 and Hope who is 4 and Autistic.
And you guessed it…we are homeschoolers!
I am not sure what drove me to become a “blogger mommy”. I can assure you it is not due to boredom or lack of time.
After Hope was diagnosed with Autism, I knew in my heart I would homeschool her along with her sister. There was never a question in my mind as to whether I was doing the right thing. However, I was amazed how many people approached me to inform me of the great disservice I would be doing to her if I were to go ahead with it.
Family, other parents, therapists and “experts” all bombarded me with how Hope would only succeed if she were in a “special” school with others “like her”. At first, I shook them off, but after a while I did find myself doubting my intentions and questioning my plans. Was I hurting her? Was she better off in a program?
I visited several "programs" that Hope could have attended. They all seemed cold and lacked emotion. Yes, they all had pretty calendars and posters on the walls. There was happy music playing at some and the teachers all had smiles on their faces. Yet, as I walked around the rooms, I couldn't identify anything there that could benefit Hope in her life outside the classroom. None of them emerged as the place where Hope should spend most of her waking hours. She needed to learn to function in the world in which she lived. That being her home, the playground, church, the library, the shopping mall, the grocery store and at friends and family's homes. And perhaps most important, she needed to learn how to socialize!
Autism is a disorder that impairs socialization skills. Therefore, it was imperative to me that her day be filled with positive social opportunities and peer role models who could help break her from her world. Even those programs that came very highly recommended all lacked positive peer role models. The other children all were special needs, just like Hope. Some were non-verbal, others screamed and a few just cried. It became clear that Hope would spend her days using all of her energy cooping with the environment and sensory assault. There would be nothing left to give to learning.
I tried to find an advocate who would be on my side – especially when it came time to dealing with the school district who would provide her services. But it was very difficult. There were plenty of advocates for homeschoolers and those for parents of Autistic children. But I couldn’t find support for parents of Autistic children who wanted to homeschool.
I took my dilemma to God. I prayed for wisdom to guide me. I asked to point me in the right direction. And yes – I believe I got my answer. One day, my friend was asking me how things were going. I didn’t say much to her. She admitted she did not know much about Autism but found a movie that I might find helpful. She handed me a DVD called Temple Grandin. It is the story of Temple Grandin, an AMAZING and yes - Autistic woman. I cried all the way through the movie. But at the end, there was no more confusion. I was going to homeschool my daughter. I realized that I am the one who knows best for her. And she will be better off because of it.
I hope that this blog can provide some comfort and support to those of you who are homeschooling your special needs children. Plus, if I can add a little humor to your day– that would be the icing on the cake!
And so our journey continues…
Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog.
I’m Mary and a very new “blogger”. My husband, Ross, and I live in New York State with our wonderful daughters – Julia who is 11 and Hope who is 4 and Autistic.
And you guessed it…we are homeschoolers!
I am not sure what drove me to become a “blogger mommy”. I can assure you it is not due to boredom or lack of time.
After Hope was diagnosed with Autism, I knew in my heart I would homeschool her along with her sister. There was never a question in my mind as to whether I was doing the right thing. However, I was amazed how many people approached me to inform me of the great disservice I would be doing to her if I were to go ahead with it.
Family, other parents, therapists and “experts” all bombarded me with how Hope would only succeed if she were in a “special” school with others “like her”. At first, I shook them off, but after a while I did find myself doubting my intentions and questioning my plans. Was I hurting her? Was she better off in a program?
I visited several "programs" that Hope could have attended. They all seemed cold and lacked emotion. Yes, they all had pretty calendars and posters on the walls. There was happy music playing at some and the teachers all had smiles on their faces. Yet, as I walked around the rooms, I couldn't identify anything there that could benefit Hope in her life outside the classroom. None of them emerged as the place where Hope should spend most of her waking hours. She needed to learn to function in the world in which she lived. That being her home, the playground, church, the library, the shopping mall, the grocery store and at friends and family's homes. And perhaps most important, she needed to learn how to socialize!
Autism is a disorder that impairs socialization skills. Therefore, it was imperative to me that her day be filled with positive social opportunities and peer role models who could help break her from her world. Even those programs that came very highly recommended all lacked positive peer role models. The other children all were special needs, just like Hope. Some were non-verbal, others screamed and a few just cried. It became clear that Hope would spend her days using all of her energy cooping with the environment and sensory assault. There would be nothing left to give to learning.
I tried to find an advocate who would be on my side – especially when it came time to dealing with the school district who would provide her services. But it was very difficult. There were plenty of advocates for homeschoolers and those for parents of Autistic children. But I couldn’t find support for parents of Autistic children who wanted to homeschool.
I took my dilemma to God. I prayed for wisdom to guide me. I asked to point me in the right direction. And yes – I believe I got my answer. One day, my friend was asking me how things were going. I didn’t say much to her. She admitted she did not know much about Autism but found a movie that I might find helpful. She handed me a DVD called Temple Grandin. It is the story of Temple Grandin, an AMAZING and yes - Autistic woman. I cried all the way through the movie. But at the end, there was no more confusion. I was going to homeschool my daughter. I realized that I am the one who knows best for her. And she will be better off because of it.
I hope that this blog can provide some comfort and support to those of you who are homeschooling your special needs children. Plus, if I can add a little humor to your day– that would be the icing on the cake!
And so our journey continues…
Questions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me at mary@homeschoolingthespectrum.com