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Disclaimer: I know there are some circumstances in which it is not possible to homeschool your children. There are many ways you can advocate for your children who are in school, so don’t lose heart! If finances are a main reason I would encourage you to check out HSLDA Compassion, which as been called The Homeschool Foundation for many years. They’ve helped us and I pray they can help you, too!
Growing up is hard. It can be awkward, it can make you doubt yourself and for many ADHD kids, it can make them think they are not very smart. When I was growing up I was told many times that I was smart, but didn’t work to my full potential. I was a little behind my classmates most of the time. I was in trouble for talking and getting out of my seat all.the.time. Sitting still and going through the motions of school felt like a prison to me. I remember standing in the lunch line one day, in elementary school, and counting how many years I would have to endure school. It was suffocating.
It is the same story for many ADHD kids. One of the main reasons I decided to homeschool before my first child was even school aged was in case I had a child like me. Well, I do have a child just like me. The Creative One is so very much like me that my parents often laugh at how uncanny it is. She is me, through and through. She has the combination type of ADHD, she is hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive. There is a big difference for her though, she is homeschooled. Here are the top ten reasons (in no particular order) that I am glad I am homeschooling her and The Energetic One, who also has ADHD, and why you should consider homeschooling your ADHD children, too.
1. She is growing up KNOWING she is smart.
I can tell her the directions as many times as she needs so she can succeed at her tasks. She doesn’t have a full class of neurotypical kids to try to keep up with so she doesn’t have to feel less than or always behind.
2. She can work at her own pace.
It was so disheartening for me as I struggled to keep my attention on my work, which did not interest me, and then see all of my classmates finish way before me. It was easy to want to just give up since it happened all.the.time.
3. She is not bullied.
She is not protected from all adversity, but she does not need to deal with the day to day bullying of a nasty classmate. Kids are brutal (as are many adults on the internet, sadly) and I am very thankful that she doesn’t need to deal with that on top of her learning difficulties.
4. She is developing a love of learning.
Since she gets to take her time, she has the freedom to really enjoy her work. She is very crafty, so if she wants to create a craft to go with her lesson she can do that. It really cements the learning for her when she can make something that brings it to life.
5. She and her brother are not constantly in trouble for moving around.
Both of my ADHD kids can get up and move freely when they need to. They are both learning to sit for longer and longer periods of time, but it has been a common occurrence in this homeschool to see math facts being practiced along with perfecting a headstand, or to listen to a lesson while playing with putty or another fidget toy, and that is just fine.
6. Snacks are eaten when they are needed.
I remember STARVING throughout the school day. We’d eat lunch at 11 and by 3 I had a headache and wanted nothing more than to be home eating a snack. Hunger certainly didn’t help me to focus.
7. They get plenty of rest.
We are all night owls. Homeschooling gives us the freedom to stay up a little later reading that great historical fiction novel, or that great Tolkien novel, or snuggling and reading just one more picture book before settling into bed for the night. In the winter months, my kids have to be out of bed by 8 am. None of us like to rise while it is still pitch black outside, and in the winter here, it is pitch black before 8. Yuck. Exhaustion does nothing to help any child to be attentive and ready to learn.
8. We are building awesome relationships.
It would be so sad to see my kids, who have been together just about every day of their lives, be split up by classes, schools, and extracurriculars. Living together every day forces us to work together and to play together. They have different friends and activities but the majority of the time they are together making memories that will last them a lifetime.
9. Less wasted time.
We are doing something most of the time, even if it’s just reading, watching an educational show or getting the house tidied up. I can’t imagine how much of that would be lost if they spent an hour or so on a school bus each day.
10. We are in control of what they learn.
I don’t have anyone discussing things with my kids that I would rather be the one to discuss with them. I don’t have anyone telling my impressionable 4-year-old that it is ridiculous to take the Bible at face value, to believe in the flood, or even to believe in Jesus. I am so very thankful for that.
I hope these reasons give you a little glimpse into why it is such a blessing to homeschool our children, both the ones with ADHD and the ones without. It is not easy. It is definitely a huge sacrifice, but it is worth it.
