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the children a vacation while you’re occupied.

      Parents who follow other than nine-to-five jobs that incorporate a lot of travel, public appearances, or endless conferences may want to look at homeschooling as an option. It gives you the chance to spend time with your children no matter where you are. When you travel, the children can go with you whenever you set out and take their schoolwork along — my kids think that hotel rooms come with desks specifically for them.

      

My children have a mom and dad who are both professional authors. Full-time writing creates a whole different lifestyle for those who pursue it. When we work, we work long and hard. On the other hand, when we have no deadlines, we’re completely free to do whatever we want with no restrictions. We can travel, spend the day at the park during the week, or go sledding at the mention of the idea. Homeschooling works perfectly for us because it gives us the flexibility to take our vacations at odd times of the year between books, teach the children (who sit at a large table right outside our office door), and live life as a family instead of as a group of individuals following their separate schedules.

Determining What’s Best for Your Family

      This is your family. These are the people you live with. The ones you love best. When you look at all the educational options available, you need to consider your family’s needs. Perhaps you’ll find that homeschooling is truly the best solution for your family.

      Perhaps the idea of working together appeals to you. You’re willing to sacrifice where you need to so that the greater need is met. You want to take control of your children’s education, to watch them learn and guide them into maturity. And even more importantly, this interests you enough that you’re willing to make it a long-term goal, whether “long-term” means this year or 12 years.

      Okay, so you decide that homeschooling will be best for your family with child number one. What about child number two? Does it follow that you’ll reach the same educational conclusions?

Not really. Even within a family, each child is completely different. What’s best for one may not be best for all or even most. When you look at your family as a unit, you may find that the answers for each child differ. But that’s okay.

      

You’re looking for the optimal solution for your own family. Although it may seem strange, sometimes what’s best actually means homeschooling one or two children and sending the rest to public or private school. That way, everybody’s needs get met.

      Most families who homeschool do teach all their children at home at once, but you aren’t most families. You are you, with your family, your needs, and your strengths. If you look at educational options with your whole family in mind, it lowers your stress level in the long run. Then you don’t have to wonder whether you made the right decision for this child or that one. You know.

Creating Solutions for Special Situations

      Parents with special situations often feel trapped when they think about their children and education. Maybe you work full time and truly can’t afford to quit. Perhaps you’re a single parent. (If you are, I applaud your dedication and efforts!) Perchance your child is a special needs learner.

      Special situations require some imagination and a little extra determination, but you can homeschool if you truly believe this is the best thing for your family. If you don’t think this is best for your brood, why go through the effort? Keep things the way they are and watch for any signs of social, educational, or emotional deterioration in your children.

      Working around your job

      If you want to work homeschooling into your unusual situation, be aware that some of the solutions look rather unconventional. Some parents who work full time take their children with them to the office. Then everybody completes his or her tasks at the same time. The children do their schoolwork with your oversight, you do your office work, and everybody’s happy. This functions especially well when the parent works out of the home.

      Other parents schedule homeschooling in the evening instead of during the day. The children are usually up late, sleep in each morning, and have their free time while the parent is at work. Then the parent returns home and spends the two or so hours necessary to guide the students each evening, leaving them with any additional reading or projects to do the next day. This option really cuts into family evening free time, but parents make it happen when they need to.

If your family tends to function as night owls, you may find yourself teaching at night even if everyone stays home during the day. One of the perks of homeschooling is that you can usually teach whenever your children are most alert, so if they pay attention the best between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight, pour yourself some extra-caffeinated coffee and go for it. (In rare instances, your state law may stipulate that you need to teach between the hours of such and such, but most states do not. See Appendix B for homeschool associations to locate your state law, or visit Chapter 3.)

      Dealing with special learners

      Parents of special needs students rarely settle into middle ground. Instead, they generally fall into two camps:

       Those who can’t wait to bring their children home because they certainly couldn’t do a worse job with their child’s education.

       Those who worry that taking a special needs child from the school setting would deprive her of the extra resources she needs.

      One on one

      If you think you couldn’t do any more educational harm, then you’re already on the right track. Homeschooling brings education back to one-on-one tutoring, which is what special needs education was supposed to be in the first place. In a homeschool, you have your own children, who are used to dealing with each other, and you, who is used to working with them. You can schedule your day so you work with only one at a time, or if you have more than one child, you can arrange to work with two or more at once. It’s completely up to you.

      Continuing therapy

      If you have a special needs learner, then you’re already used to the specialist roundup. Physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, resource room teacher, medical specialists — sometimes they become almost like family because you see them so often. With time, you learn the jargon and even some of the solutions.

      

Getting special needs resources as a homeschooler often depends on the school system you belong to. Some systems provide therapists to homeschooled children as a matter of course; other systems provide the services if you fight for them. Still others deny all homeschool children special needs services even though portions of our taxes pay for those services.

One option when you homeschool is to continue whatever therapy sessions your child previously attended on your own. Although speech therapy functions a little differently, physical and occupational therapists usually work on one goal for an extended period of time. Physical and occupational therapists use exercises specifically designed to reach that goal, whether it’s flexibility, relaxation, or muscle toning. If you know your therapists already, they may feel comfortable working with you on a consulting basis. You work on the exercises during the week or two between consultations, and check in with them to tell them how it’s going. They then redirect your exercise cycle if you need it.

      Teaching a special

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