Homeschooling Your Neurodiverse Kid
You have neurodiverse kids. They are gifted. They are twice exceptional. They have anxiety, perfectionism, or sensory processing disorder. They are on the autism spectrum. They have a mix of neurodiversity. I am right there with you and I want you to know that It is possible to thrive as a homeschooler. I believe with my whole heart that homeschooling is the best possible educational choice for kids like ours. I'm here to help you with that. Homeschooling Neurodiverse Children There is value and importance in opening your mind to new possibilities. This is a new normal. It's a different...
Parenting in the Moment with Your Child
One of my favorite tips to share with homeschooling families and families of differently-wired kiddos is the importance of parenting in the moment - being fully present with our kiddos...even if you're a mom who's juggling all the plates and has laundry spilling over in the living room! Intentional Parenting And Homeschooling The best part of this strategy is that it allows for quality time that can change everything about your life as a homeschooler. Being a more present parent is one of the simple things that you can do to be a safe place for your child and grow well-adjusted adults....
Create a Custom Homeschool
Many of us homeschool moms began this homeschooling journey in the first place because we knew our quirky and differently-wired kiddos needed something unique to support their academic success. Maybe traditional school wasn't a good fit for your students. Certainly one of the main benefits of homeschooling is the opportunity to tailor your schedule and course of study to your child's needs. But it's also important for you and your kiddos to have the opportunity to connect with other homeschool families. The Importance of Homeschool Community When you began homeschooling, you might have...
Creative Thinking Activities for Kids
Creative thinking is a crucial skill for kids of all ages. Teachers and parents need to include critical, creative, and logical thinking games, activities, and puzzles into their teaching and conversations with children. No matter how old a child is, he or she will benefit from this. It’s such a tragedy that there is little time left in the average public school day for teachers to encourage their students to think “outside the box.” And, it’s one of the greatest gifts of being able to homeschool my children -- I can capitalize on the time I have with them, and help them develop into...
Knowing If Your Child is Gifted
So you have a bright learner. Maybe he has a vivid imagination. Maybe he scores well on achievement tests. Maybe you notice exceptionally early cognitive abilities or strong interests. But there's a difference between bright kids and gifted kids. Let's talk about how to identify gifted learners. All Gifted Students Are Not The Same Something I like to is that if you've men one gifted kid, you've met ... one gifted kid. You may have heard this phrase about other types of neurodiversity or even learning disabilities. Since not all gifted kids exhibit exactly the same traits, how do you...
Should I Accelerate My Profoundly Gifted Child?
One reader wrote to me with a question about her profoundly gifted, or exceptionally gifted, child. Because gifted learners often move at a significantly faster pace than their age peers, parents wonder if it is in the best interest of their gifted children to allow them to finish middle school or high school ahead of schedule or even to consider early entrance to college classes. In other words, is radical acceleration the best option for gifted students, or does it lead to negative experiences later in life or in later grades? Gifted Child Problems The standard advice you might hear...
Lexercise For Your Dyslexic Child: Professional Support For Improvement And Success
If your child is dyslexic, or if you suspect they may be, research shows that a structured, step-by-step approach is critical for an overall successful outcome. Lexercise is a program designed to provide everything you need as you navigate homeschooling a child with dyslexia. Helping A Struggling Reader As a parent of a dyslexic child, I know how overwhelming (and, if I'm honest, how frustrating) it can be. The usual approach isn't working. You've tried every reading curriculum out there, including the ones you hear about at the homeschool co-op and on Instagram, but...
Why You Should Attend a Homeschool Convention
Homeschool convention season is upon us and I am so excited to be back with Great Homeschool Conventions! I'll have all-new talks to share, exciting new stuff happening in my booth, and I always love seeing the faces of new friends and old ones. It's always such a great time when I get a chance to talk with other parents of differently-wired kiddos. I know I'll finish the weekend tired, but fulfilled and with fresh ideas, a renewed passion for educating my own children, with many new friends... and even more memories! I know why I love attending GHC. You may be wondering, though,...
My Neurodivergent Kiddo Needs So Much Help…
I've gotten so many excellent questions recently from readers and listeners. These questions not only represent the very issues I hear about from many parents I work with, they also resonate with the struggles and worries I've faced in my own journey as the parent of a child with neurodiverse or twice-exceptional challenges. Here is what one mother asked: How do I balance my child's needs with the needs of my other kids who sometimes feel shortchanged and resentful? Are Your Neurotypical Children Neglected? The special needs of a neurotypical child, especially the social and emotional...
What to Do When You Doubt Your Choice to Homeschool
A listener shared this question with me and it's so similar to the kinds of questions I hear from moms when we work together one-on-one, and also some discussions we've been having recently in The Learner's Lab so it felt like an important one to address in a podcast. This mom asked ... What are some of the things you say to yourself when you start to doubt and feel like you're not doing enough and you want to do more, but then you just don't know how you could possibly do any more than you're doing and you feel like you're not actually cut out for this? The True Cost of Homeschooling...