I can't believe I am doing this tomorrow

[philia]

I am meeting tomorrow morning with a psychologist who specializes in gifted children and kids with ADHD to discuss home school versus other schools. She wants me to bring in her recent handwriting, coloring, favorite book, favorite puzzle, and all of my curriculum. I need to be able to also discuss three things. What we think school in our eyes should be and provide ( some people need childcare and what not), where we see our child at age 18 and what kind of person do we want her to be and what do we want her to achieve, and what we would like from a school as far as parents if we chose a school. I am excited and nervous.
My husband used her as an expert in a court case and she is suppose to be good at what she does. My DH has had some home school cases in defense of homeschooling. I hope she thinks I have been doing good so far. I think she is into classical schools. I just want to talk about the montessori concerns I have and if I chose a school for K which one would she think would fit our needs best. I just don't think any school is a right fit or a big risk to take. I also worry about homeschooling past K. I think I would at some point want to do some sort of school but not public. I just want some expert advice. I just need an outsider's honest opinion. Have any of you thought about doing this? I read a ton on homeschooling and other methods. I need a professional on this. Someone who has seen it all.
Just wanted to share.
Philia

[Smithie]

I did! The recommendation from our behavioral pediatrician for our little guy was "medicate or homeschool, and I'm so happy that you're able and willing to homeschool, and as he gets older he may well be able to regulate himself and succeed in group setting without drugs."

We are also planning to try some sort of non-homeschool option at some point, but this far into the K year I can't imagine another way of life for the next several years. ADHD and giftedness issues totally aside, homeschooling is just a good fit for our lifestyle.

[philia]

my kid does not have ADHD

I have friends that kids do and I will tell them do do something like I am doing. We just can't decide which path is the best for us. I would not like to home school past third grade. I don't know which school would be the best fit for our family or children. I would home school over public where I live any day though. The public one's are awful here.
Who knows what the Dr. will say.

[ChristaN]

We have had one psych tell us that dd#2 has ADD and one tell us that she doesn't. She is gifted as well and tremendously underachieving in a school setting. We are trying to homeschool next school year for her if we can make it work financially. I hsed my oldest as well for a while early in elementary but she is back in ps now. We are thinking more late elementary-middle school as the hs years for dd#2.

[RiverSky]

You are the number one expert in your child's life.

I can't help but not care one iota what this supposed "expert" says, but good luck with it.

I do have one question though, what if the expert says, "No, you shouldn't homeschool", are you REALLY going to listen to that?

[Lillian J]

I really hope you plan to take her recommendations with a large grain of salt. As RiverSky said, you're a lot more intimately familiar with your child and her needs than some "expert." Here's a page of essays you might want to look through - prepared by the HomeSchool Assn. of California:
A Professional's Guide to Working With Homeschooling Families

Welcome to the web version of HSC's new guide. The objective of this guide is to offer doctors, lawyers, mediators, social workers, judges, therapists, school officials, and other professionals a ready source of information on homeschooling and to support dialogue between homeschoolers and professionals. And Homeschooling with Gifted Children. It includes articles on:

• Some Reasons for Homeschooling your Gifted Child
• How Do I Homeschool My Gifted Child?
• Homeschooling Gifted Teens / Preparing for College
• Gifted Children with Learning Challenges (Twice Exceptional)
• Resources

Lillian

[philia]

She was for homeschooling

The Dr. loves what I am doing and loves what my daughter is doing and thinks we should just keep doing it. I am glad I did go. For me I just always had a little lack of confidence in the back of my mind. We will take it year by year as far as I am concerned. The Dr. thinks she is gifted but i often wonder if most HS students would seam that way. I am not going to worry one bit with PreK or K.
The Dr. gave me some websites and said I should incorporate magic school bus for fun science.
It was nice to have someone pat me on the back. I know most of you would not need this but I feel great because of it. Go Homeschooling!!!!!!!!
Philia

[bobandjess99]

yay, congrats!

[sleet76]

My son, almost five, has ADHD and is most likely gifted. I homeschool his older sister (a first-grader right now), and Henry has been tagging along lately. It is so much fun! He would have a very, very hard time in school, likely. He did a little bit of preschool, and would probably hang in there for kinderarten (though he's solidly and easily doing first-second grade stuff now when he pops into our very relaxed "homeschool"). But once "real school" started, he's have a hard time.

As it is homeschooling, we can do so much in a very small amount of time--especially with him when he wants to--he learns as easily as breathing. He likes being exposed to new things, ideas, and information, and loves some one-on-one time with me to discuss or listen. But, I can work with him within his limits in a way that a school couldn't.

I also often feel like our relaxed lifestyle is so great--I wish more people gave it a try. I can't imagine a better way to all enjoy ourselves. I love homeschooling with my kids! I also love a bit of time away...

Good luck in your decision. I don't think you have anything to lose by trying homeschooling.