Homeschooling ASD Children

[MysticEmber]

if anyone who home schools can give me tips and resources that would be amazing!

 

[ZebraAutismo]

I got better support in school then I would at home but sadly I know this isn’t the case for anyone. Theirs times I thought it would be better but social interaction was something I need to learn and not just in a classroom way. I got specialised help I couldn’t get at home.

 

[Major Tom]

For me at this point, I think the school that my son attends is pretty good for him. He has a completely different personality in a classroom environment. He can sit and focus much better than at home. He goes to a special school for children with special needs though. No bullying takes place. I can imagine your concerns with sending them to public schools though. I don't think I could ever do that to my son. He is on the low functioning side of the spectrum, and will most likely have to be in special schools until he graduates high school.

Taking on full time home schooling would be a huge challenge, but may all in all be better for them than a public school.

Whatever you decide I wish you luck!

 

[the_tortoise]

The education she received was comparable, but the lack of interaction with other people is what I thought not healthy.

The social interaction children get in schools is in many ways nothing like real life. And if they are having social difficulties in the school environment it can be psychologically damaging in a way that prevents them ever reaching out and developing socially in the real world beyond school.

And homeschooling does not prevent social interaction -- in fact, homeschooled children could easily end up with better social skills than their public-schooled peers if they are out and about in the world, having many different kinds of social interactions with all kinds of people, of all ages and from all kinds of backgrounds, in all kinds of settings and roles. (Not saying kids who go to public school don't have these types of interactions, too, outside of school hours, but a homeschooled child could have more of them -- or at least a more balanced set of social experiences to prepare them for adult life.)

 

[the_tortoise]

I agree, but my friend's daughter never leaves the farm. She has absolutely no social interaction whatsoever. She's a sweet young woman, but you'd think she was 12-years-old if you ever met her. I don't think her parents are cognizant to her lack of social abilities. When I first met them she was very backwards and shy; it reminded me of a toddler that hides behind their parent when a stranger comes around, but she was in her mid teens at the time. She's now 27.

That is concerning, for sure.

 

[MysticEmber]

Thank you everyone for your input. I take it all in consideration. I do think I can find a healthy balance in the social connections. I work as a personal support worker and part of my job is to help others on the spectrum to learn the skills they need to help them socialize successfully in the community and in other various social interactions and environments. I take them out all the time to different places with others their age and various ages to help them gain those skills. I believe I have a healthy understanding of what it takes to make a healthy human being and I care about how people grow and how they feel...

I have for years been searching and implementing successful tools to help navigate through challenging experiences. I have done numerous training's and have had a lot of experience working with more vulnerable individuals needing extra assistance in obtaining their realistic goals and having someone in their life helping them to feel safe, secure and well cared for. I have a passion in just trying to be a good decent person because I understand the sufferings of the world. That reminds me... I had an awful experience today...

I was working with two kids and one of my children today. I took them all to a near by school playground. (A school my children used to go too...) It was after school hours but there were some after school kids for a program at the school who had came out to play. Two boys the age of my eldest two started bullying a young girl right in front of me. I suppose they did not realize that I could hear every word they were saying.... I got sick. I feel sick even repeating it.. but to give clarity to they type of issues I am talking about I will repeat.... They told this little girl to "Go kill yourself, you'll do the whole world and your mom a favor if you just killed yourself" I immediately voiced how mean and awful it is to talk to someone like that, and that it is never ok to talk to someone like that. The little girl told me "it's ok, I'm used to it..." omg I wanted to cry and scream and find those kids parents... luckily the person on watch came up and the little girl and I told her what happened. I let the school take care of it but I am not confident that it was handled properly... she thanked me for catching it but I think she may have just shrugged it off....

Just another reminder as to why I feel like homeschooling may be best for us...

 

[Bella Pines]

I know this is very popular in the autistic community because a lot of us had difficulties with the rigid academic system that is western schooling, but I have always been in the minority and opposed to it. Can you guarantee that as adults they will be able to work from home? Probably not. In which case although it is challenging, work is worst and they will have to get used to living in neurotypical society at some point and children are more adaptable. So whilst I would have loved to have been home schooled and equally would love to home school my children, unfortunately I think it teaches them that they can run and hide from their problems when as adults, this won't always be the case. Sorry, I know I'm in the minority on this one.

 

[MysticEmber]

Thats ok, I feel like I would be able to get them enough influence to handle the world outside of home, I'm not trying to teach them to run and hide, my children are more leader type quality people anyway I don't think I could make them that way even if I tried. They let people know how they feel in their own way and its always clear lol. I think I have a good grasp on things and the more I think about it the more I feel confident in making that choice.