How has having a child with LD affected your other children's education?

[Quiver0f10]

I had a detailed plan for what we were going to do next year and looking at my planned schedule, I just don't see how it's going to work once we add in various therapies and the extra time needed for the things I need to do with him at home.

 

Is it possible to still give your others a decent classical education or does something have to give? I am trying to be realisitc.

[Stacy in NJ]

Something to think about. Your ds will be given a medical diagnosis; because of this he may qualify for medical therapy services, i.e. speech, OT and possible others under your health insurance program. Can you work with your neurologist and insurer to try to coordinate at home services? Because he has a medical condition it should open up access to services.

 

HTH, Stacy

[Quiver0f10]

Something to think about. Your ds will be given a medical diagnosis; because of this he may qualify for medical therapy services, i.e. speech, OT and possible others under your health insurance program. Can you work with your neurologist and insurer to try to coordinate at home services? Because he has a medical condition it should open up access to services.

 

HTH, Stacy

 

I didn't think of that. I will have to see if that is a possibility down the road. I know I am over thinking things right now, I am just feeling overwhelmed at the moment.

[Faithr]

Hi Quiver of Ten!

 

I know a family of 7 where the youngest two needed outside medical services. They had therapists come to their home. The way the mom handled it was to go to a more relaxed, year round schedule so that they had time for all the doctor's appointments, therapists visits. The kids still learned Latin, Greek, math, writing etc. I think she didn't worry about science until high school and the kids did lots of independent reading. Now the difference for you is that you have younger ones to worry about that aren't as independent and you have 3 more childen! But I have seen folks with big families handle crisises and still continue to homeschool classically.

 

One thing about this particular family is that they lived an at least an hour away from town, so she would schedule all her errands/doctors appts on that day and just spend the day doing that. So it would take one day out of her week, but she'd still have the rest of the week. Plus she didn't have a definite stopping date for summer so some of her kids could spend summer finishing up a subject. She'd give them breaks when she felt they needed them.

 

Anyway, hope this might help some. God bless you! I so admire your hard work and commitment.

[Quiver0f10]

Having therapy at home would definitely help. As of right now he is scheduled for 3 days a week, one hour each time and it's a 30 min ride or more each day.

 

If we don't get services at home, we will learn to school in the van some subjects. I know it wil all work out, I tend to over worry and plan things. I was mapping out our schedule and panicked LOL :blush:

[JamBerry]

I can see two major effects in our house. First, we don't do a lot of group activities or co-op kinds of things, because one of my kiddoes has autism, and it's just too much for him (and me) to deal with. So the sibling has I supposed missed out on some stuff like that (but not everything--we just pick and choose much more carefully).

Second, he's learned about life and priorities and relationships and values that he probably wouldn't have learned from just books/school. Some things you just have to live through to really understand and appreciate. He may have missed out on some activities/classes/studies that he & I would have enjoyed, but he's a better person overall for having his special needs brother (and so am I).

Pam

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[Quiver0f10]

Thanks Pam and Christina , I know it's going to be give and take. We do the best we can and that's all we can do.

[Nan in Mass]

I now need to spend hours elsewhere in the middle of the school day a few days a week while my older son is doing CC classes. I was in a panic last summer, feeling like we'd never get any school done. It has turned out to be fine, though. We actually enjoy the change of place. I try to minimize the packing/unpacking time by getting snacks and lunch set early in the morning and keeping some school supplies and a bag of toddler entertainment, the umbrella stroller, and changing stuff in the car. That means we only need to stop 15 minutes before we have to leave, just long enough for bathroom trips and putting the school books in school bags. Then we read aloud our literature while we drive while someone hands my nephew (whom I babysit those days) toys. Once there, we go find a quiet place and continue school while the older one goes to class. We find that concentration is actually helped by changing place. The car and CC aren't bad places to get things done - no phone, no laundry, no pets, no distracting computers or books or toys. I found it was easier for me to sit with them and help with the mother-intensive things if we were not at home. Doctor's offices will probably not be as nice, and having more children to contend with will make it more difficult, but it might not be as bad as you think it will be. At least, hopefully it won't. : )

-Nan