Any other parents with disabilities???

[Green Vixen]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am fairly new to the board and am thrilled I found such a great website! I am wondering if there are any other parents on here with disabilities, specifically chronic pain and fatigue?

 

I really want to homeschool my children but I am very concerned about having the energy to do it. I was homeschooled as a child from 1st grade until 9th because of my health issues, so I know about homeschooling in that sense but I don't know about it from the parents end. My parents were very laid back with me and I was more or less unschooled.

 

Any suggestions, ideas, advice? Sometimes I think I am crazy even contemplating this...

 

Marisa

[Jean in Newcastle]

You already know that I do since you've PMed me about this topic.

[mom4him]

I home school and fight multiple chemical sensitivities. This can induce major fatigue, muscle/joint pain, brain fog, etc.

I also am my oldest son's personal attendent, getting him into his wheel chair and ready for work daily and then into bed again at night. (this also can be a very draining job at times.)

I almost always rest in the middle of the day and this helps me. I readjust our schedule as needed also. We always do our basics of math and LA but don't always get the other things done daily.

I also school year around to make it so I can have the freedom to not do school if need be and to do Dr. appointments when needed.

You can do it I think you just have to go at it with a more relaxed attitude and maybe be willing to not try to take on more than you can handle. They will still get a better ed. than in most pub. school systems.

[KristenS]

If depression and a panic disorder count, then add me to your list. And yeah, there are hard and crazy days. But it still seems worth it. (Mine are 8 and 5 right now.)

[Carrie12345]

I don't consider myself to have chronic pain, but I do have degenerative arthritis along with depression and ADHD. I homeschool a tween with an autism spectrum disorder, a typical 2nd grader, and a 1st grader with ADHD. I also have a 3yo who was a newborn when we began this journey. And I'm currently recovering from a foot fracture and sprained ankle while battling morning sickness.

 

So, does that count? ;)

 

I was very worried about how I'd handle homeschooling. But I wanted it enough and believed in it enough to hack it for the past 3 years!

 

I've made a promise to my husband that I would wave the white flag if I ever needed to, and that helps me to feel less forced. It also encourages me to keep pushing on to the best of my ability.

[CalicoKat]

:D yup. Daily naptime and early bedtimes have been a huge blessing to me.

[Dmmetler]

I have mild/moderate cerebral palsy, and one of my biggest challenges is that at age 5, my DD needs less sleep than I do. We have an afternoon "rest" time where she can read (or occasionally watch a video), and I usually sleep.

 

One of the other moms in my group has rheumatoid Arthritis (with a 5 yr old and a 13 yr old), and we regularly call each other when we're having a bad day to "come rescue the child"-so the other mom can get some sleep ;). The 13 yr old is pretty good at handling herself, but sometimes the only thing that helps is getting rid of a 5 yr old for a few hours!

[Impish]

Here too. I have RSD in my dominant arm, shoulder through fingertips. I was homeschooling before I was injured, and was da*ned if RSD was going to let RSD take homeschooling from myself and my family too.

 

Naps, early bedtimes help here too. Some days its just keeping my head down and getting through it until my dh gets home and I can collapse.

[elizabeth]

RA and fibromyalgia. Thank God for Elavil as it helps with the nerve pain. I still believe that hsing is, for me a benefit to my condition. Dd is a great sport and knows when to just do things of her own volition as there are times that I have an MD visit(1x per month) and physical therapy(2x permonth) when I am simply not the best I can be. However, it can be done but dh is a peach , he vaccums and does laundry despite having a solo law practice and being a golfweek rater. I really think that much depends on having a great support system. WE have never taken more than an afternoon or so off at a time due to my appts. Dd is older now and certainly more independent which is a mixed blessing. Moms of 13 year olds can I get a witness???:lol: Generally it is no different than other challenges we just keep on keeping on.

[serene]

I have multiple sclerosis. As a recovering perfectionist, I've learned to relax in every area of my life, including school. I had very definite ideas about what our school should look like, and I was wearing myself out even before my illness began. I had to embrace the fact that I could not teach them *everything* before they leave for college, and that's ok. =) Having my girls at home was more about building relationships with God, within our family and with others, while educating them.

 

The year my girls were 8 & 10, I remember schooling in my bed nearly that entire year. School books & supplies were piled beside the (thankfully king-size!) bed, and we did all of our 'together' subjects right there. I napped or rested between subjects. Another year I couldn't keep much food down for very long; we schooled between my trips to the privy.

 

This disease progesses in different ways for different people. My hope/goal is to be able to finish homeschooling both girls through high school. Next year is my oldest's senior year, but I have four more years with my youngest. Thankfully, they are both older now and do much of their work independently. Basically, we've taught them how to learn, so they will be able to pursue anything that interests them.

 

As an expierienced unschooler, I'd say you're already miles ahead of someone just starting from scratch. If I had our early years to do over, they'd definitely look a whole lot more like unschooling. Those days sure seemed to be long, but the years were very short! Enjoy *life* with your kids and read, read, read - lots of good books.

[Orthodox6]

Marisa, best wishes for your health and for all your endeavours ! Attempt whatever seems best for you and your family. May it all be blessed ! :grouphug:

 

Myself: ADHD, Asperger's, major depression, (no meds for any of the foregoing because they only made me ill -- and I fully support the appropriate use of medication !), -- one arm with a steel plate and an inexplicable side effect of randomly dropping whatever I am holding, and a leg with a steel rod and the side effect of permanent come-and-go pain, and the inability to run even in an emergency.

 

DS: ADHD, anxiety spectrum, NVLD

DS: Asperger's, NVLD

DD: ADHD, major depression, NVLD

[hoosiermom]

10 surgeries (mostly knees) in a span of 8 years plus fibromyalgia

 

I actually think hsing is a benefit to me. I'm more in control of our schedule (don't have to get up at 6 a.m. to get dd on bus). I only have 1 to homeschool and she is able to work independently--not sure how it would be otherwise. I'm definitely a planner, so I try to have things planned ahead of time so when I have a bad day, dd knows what she's supposed to do.

 

I, too, was afraid of not being able to handle it all when we took dd out of public school 4 years ago, but hsing has truly worked for our family!

[momof3sofar]

I am another mom who has multiple sclerosis and is just beginning my HS journey with my daughter. Thankfully I only have one child at home now so we take frequent breaks and homeschool year round so I don't feel too stressed about getting it all in.

 

I have a friend who also homeschools and the BEST advice she gave me is something that has already been mentioned here. Our job is to teach them HOW to learn. Where to go for answers will help them go far in life.

 

Since I am so new to both MS (only diagnosed in July) and HS I don't have anything else to offer but a virtural hug and to know you are NOT alone!

 

Dawn

[Green Vixen]

Thank you so much everyone for sharing a little about yourself and your words of encouragement! I am glad to hear your personal stories and how homeschooling may look a little different because of your disabilities, but that it can still be done! I am used to life being challenging so I'll just add this to the list :001_smile:.

 

Thank you!

 

Marisa

[rafiki]

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