Reason # 4389 why I homeschool:  Every child has special needs!

When my oldest child was a preschooler, she was very averse to loud noises.  She was fully potty trained and practically a fluent reader – precocious in many ways.  But she refused to flush the toilet.

She was attending a preschool which specialized in a mixed class – typical children and children with special needs.  She was considered a typical child and up to that point, I thought that she was just that.

One day, I returned to pick her up early. Most of the class was on the playground still, but my daughter happened to be in the bathroom with the teacher’s aid.  I was privy to their conversation.  My daughter informed the aid that she didn’t want to flush the toilet.  That the noise scared her.  That she was allowed to ask for help with flushing the toilet and that her mommy supported her in this.  The aid informed my daughter that everyone has to flush their own toilet. That she was not allowed to ask for help.  That she was required to flush the toilet on her own in spite of her fear and NO, the aid would not help.  This went on for several minutes but in the end my daughter, being a good, compliant child, flushed the toilet.

Just then, the rest of the class returned from their playground time.  In walked the teacher with the child who had the most dramatic special needs in the class.  He was in diapers and possibly is to this day.  His diaper was changed with compassion and a matter-of-fact willingness.

It was that day that I realized that every child has special needs.  Every family has special needs.  Certainly, my typical child is a blessing to my world (as are all children), but our family has dealt with other challenges including being a member of the Sandwich Generation, dealing with two parents with cancer simultaneously. And of course, the struggle to overcome the fear of toilet flushing noises.

Homeschooling is a boon to the family with special needs and circumstances.  It helps us to tend to our idiosyncrasies all the while maintaining our families strength, solidarity and uniqueness.  I hope that CHEER can help your unique family with is special challenges.

I’d love your help to create this section.  Submit your favorite websites and/or your own blog articles below and I’ll share them with all our CHEERful readers.  Thanks!

Sections I’d like to have (let me know if I’m missing anything):

• Autism
• Gifted
• Visual spacial
• 2E
• Homeschooling Dads
• Two working parents/WAHM
• Single mother