How to Home School Your Child - Maintaining Objectivity

It is important that you maintain objectivity while teaching your special needs child. You cannot allow yourself to feel that you have failed as a parent and teacher when your child fails to grasp a concept. It may simply be beyond them to grasp some of the lessons. Depending on your child’s diagnosis and abilities, it may be very difficult for them to learn the same things that other children learn in a public school or home school setting.

You must do your best to understand what your child is capable of and what your reasonable expectations should be. This is one reason you must work closely with your child’s health care providers. Having reasonable expectations keeps you from feeling like a failure later on and gives you a better perspective of your child’s progress.

Of course, there is no reason to feel that you are bound by those expectations. Feel free to introduce new material that your child may or may not understand. Your child may surprise you. You will never know your child’s true potential if you stay within the bounds set by expectations. It is important to challenge your child and to continue working with him on any subject or activity that appears to be beneficial or even somewhat successful.

Discovering New Learning Tools

Do a lot of research on teaching children in your child’s learning situation. This research will become invaluable to you later on. There are a lot of books available, as well as online resources that will provide you with information vital to your success.

You will discover that there are a number of new learning tools available for teaching children basic necessary skills in new ways, depending on their ability. These tools are readily available online, just as any other homeschooling tools. It is just more difficult to know what tools you need for success. Your research should bring you a number of new and exciting methods and tools that you can use to teach your child as much as possible.

Reaping the Rewards

In the end, homeschooling can be very rewarding. Not only will you have more of a hand in the shaping of your child’s mind and future, you will be building bonds that most families only dream of. The rewards for your child are obvious. But there are rewards for the parents as well.

It is hard to watch a child grow up and leave the home. When children are in public school and parents are at work, it becomes even more difficult. Time seems to slip through your fingers. But when you home school, you get additional time with your child, creating memories you’ll never forget. By the time your child is all grown up and gone, you can gain a sense of peace and calm, knowing that you have fully prepared them for the world.

Homeschooling has other benefits for parents as well. While you are teaching your children, you can take on activities and careers that many parents don’t have the time to do. You can go back to school by taking classes online, working on your own education as well as your child’s. You can work from home and earn money while also spending time with your family. You can take up a hobby that may or may not earn an income, something that can help your personal growth. By staying at home with your children, you are opening doors for yourself that you would never have known about if you worked outside your home.

Of course, the real reward comes when your child succeeds as an adult. As you watch them go off to college, start their career, and start a family, you will see how what you have taught them influences their every decision. Knowing that you have had such a profound impact on your child’s life is often reward enough for most parents.

If you are considering homeschooling your child, go forward with a smile. Reassure yourself that you are able to teach your child better than anyone else in this world. You know your child better than anyone and you will be able to teach them things that they will never learn anywhere else. Recognize your ability to share knowledge with your child on any level and know that you and your child will reap the rewards of your efforts for years to come. 

This is an excerpt from the book: How to Home School Your Child: and Develop a Well Trained Mind