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Okay here is my question. I am doing preschool with my 5 1/2 year old who is considered special needs. He goes to public school (preschool program) twice a week now. He gets special ed, speech therapy there, which has helped in so many ways. He also is not very social which is why they recommened him go to preschool at ps, but my question is if I take him out do you think socially he will back slide? He is getting tested for Autism ( very long process I am finding out!). I am just finding it is hard for me to work with him and then rush him off the preschool twice a week and we do different things than the school does also. I know the school still has to provide services to him even if I homeschool but not at home of course I would have to bring him there. Also would like to know if anyone has ever taken the ps up on providing special ed to those who home school. How did it go? Did they work with the same material you had at home? He is considered Developmentally Delayed right now and I also home school two older kids and have two toddlers that tag along and a baby on the way. I am really just trying to make this less chaotic I don't like running some where almost every day while trying to do school with the kids.


Sheila mom to five great kids, one angel and one on the way.

Hi Sheila, I applaud your love and dedication to your children. It's no wonder your days are a little chaotic with homeschooling 2, having 2 toddlers in the mix and one on the way!! (((HUGS)))

Here in the state I live in the only way to get services is to be enrolled and attending PS. They do not provide any services to anyone at home. If your state is providing you with service maybe they would also provide you with transportation to and from home when he enters Kindergarten and this could free you up a bit in your day.

My experience with kids on the spectum is they are all so different, it would be difficult to know if he would slide socially. The child we had experience with needed ALL the help she could get to stay on track and make progress.

Blessings!

Oh Sheila, I can imagine how tiring all of that must be! You are wise to thoughtfully weigh what is best to do. My ds was in a speech program that sent a speech teacher to our home (which was great). When he turned 4, he still needed speech, but that program only went up to 3 years old, so a van picked him up (I was on bedrest) and took him to ps for speech there. I noticed a major decline in the progress he made there. He also was often combined with the special education class whenever the speech teacher had to help out there (which I kind of found out accidentally about). We didn't have a very good experience with him receiving speech services at school. But, I know services can vary widely.

If there is a way for services to be provided within your home, I would go that route for sure. If there is not, you can weigh what is best there. If it is more for socialization, I would say do not worry about him being in a class for that. Parents, siblings, and a happy home are the best tools for healthy socialization. Age-segregated classes are something unique to schools - no where else in life are we segregated by age - so the home really prepares our dc more adequately to be socialized for the real world, where younger dc are to be cared for, and older adults are to be respected, and where ages are mingled. I'll pray for you now, Sheila, that God will lead you to the right decisions for your dc - wish I could give you a hug!

In Christ,
Julie

I have used ps services when my dd was in ps and it is the reason I finally pulled them out and hsed. She does not have autism though, she has cerebral palsy, and I know socially there are different issues there. But as far as learning it is tough to beat the one on one attention they get from hsing. Special ed teachers just can't take the time you can and tailor it to your child when they have 8 other kids there and even when they don't I still find for learning my child learns much better with me, so much to the point that her special ed teacher was the one that told me hsing would be best for my child. So for learning I really think hsing is best in most cases. My advice would be to see if speech and occupational therapy etc are paid for my your insurance and look into private treatment. The reason I say this is you can get one on one and group therapy and you can knock it all out in one day a week or two. It is draining though. I can so relate to that. But through private therapy you can really tailor it to your child and do it less often when it is not needed as much. Also want to encourage you to ask your therapist if there are other hsing moms of autistic kids and look into chat groups that have moms of autistic kids. It is such a specific special need that you can really get a lot of help from moms that have BTDT.

Past the physical needs hsing was much better for my dd's learning disabilities than ps ever was so I hold little faith in that part of ps special needs help. As far as socialization if it were me I would want my child not just to learn how to socialize with special needs children but also other kids would be more what really learning to get on with all people would be. I am also a strong believer that parents are the ones that really socialize children in terms of behavior and how to treat people. But I do understand that autistic kids really need that stimulation and they may need to have more interaction with kids. I might look into church and a hsing group more for that than a special ed class. That would just be my preference. I think it would be more effective to helping them get on in the real world.

One other thing. Hang in there. It is much harder at the age you have. It does really get easier when they are older. Just know that the next 2-5 years are going to be the most taxing and after that it will get a bit easier. It really helps to talk with moms that have the same exact special needs and the same degree of need. You can learn a lot by that. Last thing is really rely on God to tell you what your child needs and pray often for wisdom. I have more than once gone against the expert and had that be God's best for my child. And have confidence that He gave you your child and you can teach them and give them the best for their needs.

Hope there is something here that helps!