moms hs'ing SN kids

[kittie313]

How do you do it? My oldest dd has multiple challenges and they've suggested we test for Asperger's based on her current list of diagnoses (ADHD, SID, APD, dyslexia, mild anxiety, and OCD) but we just haven't done it yet because that would be more than we can process at this point after all these other diagnoses that were made in the last 9 months (the only OLD one is the SID, that was made when she was 2yo) She'll be 7yo in April, is in 1st grade, and we're enrolled this year in a state k12 virtual academy. We like our curriculum and the support I'm getting from the school to teach her, it really is a good fit for us at this point in time. But I'm just having trouble with getting her to do her lessons some days when it comes to specific subjects. I just want to do what's best for her, and help her to succeed in life. I need ideas to change up our day a bit without the change being overwhelming to her, to try and break out of the mid-year blahs that have set in here.

[briansmama]

Have you considered dropping the K12 program? We've never done it, but my understanding is that it's very much like school-at-home.

I strongly suspect my ds has SID and mild anxiety, though we haven't tested him. He is on a GF/CF diet and is doing great, but if he happens to eat gluten or dairy, we have a very rough few days.

Screen time seems to exacerbate his symptoms. What helps him most is lots of outdoor play, swimming, and quality educational resources. Workbooks and anything "school-ish" bores him and causes frustration.

However, literature-based curricula such as Ambleside and Charlotte Mason really work well for him. The short lessons (10 min each) are great. He is learning so much and rarely complains. Any more than that and I can expect some resistance.

The great thing about literature-based studies is he's learning to love quality books while also having a say in which books we use. I'll check out tons of recommended books and he'll enjoy the majority of them, but there could be 1 or 2 that he doesn't connect with for some reason, and we'll just put it aside and move on to the next one while studying famous artists, history, poetry, copywork, etc.

I hope this helps!

[craft_media_hero]

Well, my kid is "undiagnosed" but yes I believe special needs and "gifted". I hate labels which is why she's undiagnosed and it's hard for me to say that she is these things.

We play it real loose. We try and do math and reading every day, but really everything is just based off of where she's at (and me too) in the moment.

If she's squirmy, we get out.

Some days we scrap the whole school day, it just wasn't meant to be for today! Other days I'm amazed at the quality of education she's getting and how much material we covered.

Honestly, I would say that we're actually rather "school-at-homey" on our "school" days but could never do a virtual academy because we need the freedom to have park days and free learning and snuggle in bed and read fairy tales all day.

And really, having "schooly" materials helps because it's fast and she can see the end of it. She likes to have evidence of what she did, and I like to have something at the ready when I know my window is open.

So we have quite a balance going, and we need a lot of freedom to keep that. We are in a very flexible charter, and I have no qualms with not telling them all the details, either. We do Greek, but maybe we did it with bathtub crayons while showering, yk?

Some consistency is also key. We always do ONE "homeschool" thing directly after breakfast. That might be the only thing we do, but it's always positive coz it fits right in there for us.

Good luck and have fun!