[seatides]

Hi! I'm seriously considering homeschooling my 15-year-old son for various reasons. He's exceptionally bright and has inattentive-type ADHD (only recently diagnosed) and public school is just not working out for him.

I don't know much at all about homeschooling yet, but I'm starting to educate myself. I'm sure I also need to consider his giftedness and ADHD when planning what strategies will work best for us. I also want to make sure that he's well-prepared for college.

I worry, though, if a single parent can effectively homeschool an only child (which my son is). Can this work? It's been just the two of us in the house (plus our menagerie!) for 10 years now, so our parent/child relationship is an exceptionally close one. Will he be able to separate Mom as Mom from Mom as Teacher?

I would think that this split in Mom's role is an adjustment for all homeschooled kids; I just wonder if it may be more of a challenge for us under the circumstances. I really think that we can make this work, but I'm trying to anticipate any potential bumps in the road.

So if anyone has any advice for me and/or experience with single-parent homeschooling, I'd appreciate hearing from you! Thanks.

[KW29]

Hi Fran~
Remember there are a lot of options when considering homeschooling. Curriculum providers or schools may cost a bit more, but they can provide a lot of time saving help. For example they may provide record keeping, preparing assignments, grading daily work and tests, and provide teacher assistance. Internet based schools, correspondence schools, also work pretty well for some students especially during high school when they are trying to meet all their requirements for college.
Some of these options may also have special methods for teaching students with ADHD. It may be worth checking into anyway.
Hope this helps!

[nicki]

Hi there -
Not everyone experiences the split. As a homeschooling Mom, I don't have a different relationship when we homeschool as I have during the rest of our hours. We still laugh together, play together, have fun together, challenge each other, debate each other and occasionally I have to be the meanie. It isn't any different than when I was the teacher when they were 1 or 2 or 3...if you have a close relationship now, all the better to work together in an academic way. It means you will know his strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else in the world and will be able to play into those and be creative in the ways that you guide him through his education.
I think if you envision homeschooling to be School at Home with you standing in front of a blackboard lecturing for 6 hours a day, you may run into many bumps. Just continue on being Mom instead. Be flexible. Learn for an hour and if you are bored, do something else for a bit. Enjoy each other and learning. If you aren't enjoying it, or he isn't, find another method. Don't think if you are having fun that you aren't teaching enough or he isn't learning enough. Learning is supposed to be enjoyable! That is why little kids love it so much! I bet you guys do educational things all the time in your free time and you never think twice about being a "teacher" when you enjoy those things together. Carry that attitude into your homeschooling day and you won't hit any bumps at all
Good luck!

[seatides]

KW29 and Nicki, your posts couldn't have come at a better time. This morning I woke up with these awful nagging doubts: what have I gotten myself into? What do I think I'm doing? Have I bitten off more than I can chew?

Then I logged on and read your replies and I feel so reassured now! You've both helped calm my fears of the "unknown."

The thing is, I'm only just starting to learn about homeschooling and how it really can be individualized to your child (and you!). The possibilities are exciting.

I want to get started as soon as possible, so I ordered a couple of books on homeschooling that are geared to the teen years and preparing for the college admissions process; they should arrive today. Are there any particular books or online resources that you'd recommend for someone just starting out?

Thanks again, guys. It really does help to have the support and encouragement of people who've "been there." I appreciate it.

[shoshanna]

I agree with what the others said about the role not having to be split. I was homeschooled all 12 grades and my relationship with my mom was similar whether we were schooling or not. Remember that school doesn't have to mean sitting down at a desk and listening to a lecture. We did a lot of learning side-by-side with my mom. We'd learn about the Civil War together or learn how to do Algebra together. She was still the boss as my mom, but she never stood in front of us and lectured or anything like that.

Knowing how to learn from a book and from studying on my own really helped me when I got to college. I knew how to learn things from the text if the instructor wasn't clear or if I missed a class and had to make up the work.

[seatides]

Thanks, Shoshanna! I'm feeling better about this all the time thanks to people like you sharing with me what homeschooling is actually like.

I see that you're the Employment Blogger. Do you think I'll be able to manage single parenting, homeschooling AND working from home (which I do)?

Thanks!

[WordsAplenty]

I don't know about the single parenting thing, but I do agree with the others who said there is no need for a "split." Remember... you've always been your son's teacher. You've taught him to walk, to talk, the ABC's, etc. You've taught him to be the person he is. You've probably taught him his values, morals, and beliefs. You know how he relates to people, you know his strengths and abilities. You know his likes and his dislikes. You know so much about your son-- who could possibly be a better teacher??? And remember... learning occurs all throughout the day, not just at "school time." Kids learn while doing, while playing, while living. Life happens all day, everyday and so does learning-- especially if you're homeschooling. Just don't try to replicate a classroom in your home-- you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment. The classroom is set up for 20 or 30 kids-- your home doesn't need to be. Oh, and if your son is a teen, he'll be doing a lot of independent learning. That's one of the greatest gifts of homeschooling-- learning to think, to learn, to grow... on your own. Good luck!

[KW29]

Fran I am so glad that we were a blessing to you today! You CAN do this. We have all felt this way at one time or another, but just remember to take it one day at a time and enjoy this opportunity.
You mentioned that your son has ADHD. As far as online resources, you might want to check out www.ldonline.org it is a website for parents and teachers (including homeschooling) of children who have special needs.
I'll let you know if I find anything else.

[seatides]

Thank you both, WordsAplenty and KW29! I'm feeling better about this decision all the time, thanks to you and all the other helpful homeschooling parents in this Forum.

WordsAplenty, your note makes me think that my son will thrive in homeschooling. I particularly like what you said about "independent learning," because I imagine that that independence will carry over into other areas of his life as well.

KW29, thanks for the ldonline.org information. I checked it out and did see a lot of articles and other resources related to ADHD. Yes, please let me know if you do come across anything about homeschooling kids with ADHD and/or giftedness. I appreciate it!

[homesheart]

I am curious as to what state you are in. In Florida we have Florida Virtual School, and some of the local high schools even have (homeschooling options). Here, that can make a world of difference to homeschooling the high schooler. Have you selected your curriculum yet?

Charisse