Choosing to Homeschool

After her official diagnosis, we agreed to have her mainstreamed in a kindergarten class at our local public elementary school.  I still did not feel comfortable teaching her at home.  It was hard.  She hated going to school.  The transition into a new school, a new classroom, and a new teacher was difficult.  The special education preschool class was held in a different school on the other side of town.  She had an amazing teacher, aides, special education teacher, and therapists.  And principal.  There were days she'd refuse to walk into the building and her principal would scoop her up and carry her into her classroom.  The adjustment process took a good three months.  Everyone loved our girl and worked with her.

After the Christmas break, I kept being told, "she's wonderful in class but learns best one-on-one."  Thankfully, she had an aide who could help with daily tasks during the day.  When she'd arrive home after school, she needed down time in her room.  I barely saw her until dinner.  After dinner, she had to complete work which she didn't finish in school.  Have I mentioned she hates math worksheets?  Now our evenings involved crying and frustration.  She'd go to bed and the sane thing happened the following day.  She was happy at school but our home life was suffering and only getting worse by the day.

We made the plunge that summer.  We notified the school that we intended to homeschool her the coming school year.  We knew it would be a day by day decision.  I wasn't willing to commit to much more.

And we haven't looked back.  The thought does cross my mind on our really bad days but our relationship and her relationship with her dad and brothers is much better.  And I can't sacrifice that.  We do have rough mornings so days but it's only a few hours and then we are done.  We can enjoy each other the rest of the day.  She no longer needs two hours after school to unwind in her room from all the stimulation.  There is no more fighting in the evenings (well, about school work anyway).

I don't regret sending her to school those two years but I sure am glad to have an even better relationship with her now.  Homeschooling isn't for every child or every family but we've been blessed beyond measure.