(Inside: Why should you homeschool your autistic child? I get asked this all the time! So today I’m sharing 5 reasons to homeschool your autistic child, even if the world thinks you’re crazy!)
The first question anyone asks when they find out I homeschool A-Man is, can you homeschool an autistic child?
Once that’s out of the way… I get “why in the world would you ever want to!?”
Sometimes it’s more thinly veiled. Like, “I get that you can homeschool your autistic child… But is it really something you should do?”
And I get it…
Even most homeschoolers who have disabled children choose to put them into the public school so that they have access to school programs and therapies.
We chose not to do that with A-Man, and today I’m going to share 5 reasons to homeschool your autistic child…
5 Reasons to Homeschool Your Autistic Child
Now before I really jump in, the standard disclaimer.
These are reasons to homeschool your autistic child that work for my son and my family.
Your child may not need these same benefits. Your child may thrive in a public school environment.
That’s totally okay.
It’s great even, I pinky promise.
But I get asked about this often, so I’m sharing my 5 reasons to homeschool an autistic child.
Your mileage may vary… Ok? :)
Homeschooling Offers a One on One Learning Environment
My son really struggles with focused learning, and he needs constant one on one attention to complete most traditional school tasks.
While homeschooling, my entire class is three kids, and one is doing preschool so he barely counts.
My husband and I can give my son plenty of one on one attention in our homeschool, and he learns things much quicker because of it.
You Can Modify Homeschooling to Fit Your Autistic Child
Homeschooling does not have to look like traditional school at all.
You don’t have to sit at desks or complete worksheet after worksheet.
Or go through a grade-level in one year.
Or even use a curriculum at all.
Homeschooling is completely up to you, and you can do it whatever way is best for you and your autistic child.
We don’t use many formal curriculums for A-Man yet, even though he’s going into “second grade” this year, and we definitely don’t do an entire grade level each year.
You can go at your child’s pace, and use whatever methods help your autistic child learn best.
Autistic Children Feel Safe at Home
Anxiety is a really common comorbid disorder that happens alongside autism, so it’s worth addressing when homeschooling your autistic child.
Often times autistic children who struggle with anxiety have extreme anxiety surrounding the school day.
Getting on the school bus, the chaos of all the kids, transitioning in and out of the classroom, being expected to sit and not fidget all day, completing confusing assignments and more…
There’s a lot to be anxious about!
Most autistic children are naturally more comfortable at home because they’re in their safe space.
Children learn better when they feel safe.
Homeschooling Allows More Time for Autism Therapies
While I am definitely not a proponent of ABA therapy where autistic children are in therapy for 20-40 hours a week, I do think allowing time for helpful autism therapies is important.
At one point we had A-Man in 3 separate therapies, on 3 separate days.
If he went to a public school there would just be no time.
Let alone the time for completing therapy activities at home!
Since we’re homeschooling, we can fit our therapy sessions and therapy activities into our schedule wherever they fit.
You Can Homeschool in a Sensory-Friendly Environment
I touched on this early, but traditional schools can lead to sensory overload and sensory meltdowns FAST.
When you homeschool your autistic child, you have more control and you can create a sensory-friendly environment.
We have fidgets everywhere, flexible seating, calm down spaces, sensory-friendly curriculum, and the ability to have the kids go outside to burn off energy at any point in the day.
Overall, a lot of the reasons to homeschool your autistic child center around having flexibility that just isn’t available to most children who go to a traditional school.
We’re able to teach our son how he best learns, in the best possible environment for him.
We have increased access to therapies.
Homeschooling has been incredible for our family, and we wouldn’t change it for the world.
If you loved this post, definitely check out:
Witch is better homeschool are public school my son is 5 he has high sensory problem and big the happy kid im worry about people pick on him
I want to home school my son who is also autistic and in 8th grade..he’s in a public school hes not getting all the support he needs in this school..yesterday he came home with stab Mark’s from a pencil from another student ..I’m livid so I want to know how to get him started with home schooling?
I had to confront the bully student in both private schools because they did nothing even after multiple complaints by me.
I removed her immediately, got a Christian curriculum, and teach her now.
It is daunting to set up, but gets a lot easier.
Good luck!
Hi,
My son is five and has autism. I want to homeschool him. Do you have any suggestions for a curriculum?
Thank,
Audrey
Kaylene I’m so excited to find your blog here! I need advice. How do you keep your kids separately entertained so you can give them each one on one support? Got an almost 6 year old with both autism and apraxia and also a 3 year old with severe speech delay.
What homeschool program do you go through for your child.
We found our mild asd child was being targeted by the teacher as the trouble maker and left in the back of the class facing the other way to other kids and never helped. She has come forward leaps and bounds since we have done one term only in homeschool. Private school for 3.5 yrs was useless and they targeted her, not the bullies. Still having trouble getting her to want to do work after 11am without melting down.. any advice? Shorter subject times? She is 9, in grade 3.
Marcie, try breaks in between attentive learning even though your ‘school day’ is slightly going on for longer.
I have home schooled four children before(I had four under five years of age). I have done grades one, three and double five. Years later I have also done three years of high school for my daughter with Compulsory, auditory, sensory hearing difficulties. Now I have a 4.5 year old.I am considering home schooling due to limited access to facilities. She is undergoing Austic assessments. Harder to associate with a girl, I am also a trained nurse. And with all her assessments she is 2.5years behind. Have been on a Specialist waiting list for 2.5 years. In total my daughter has 5 older siblings (wonderful step daughter). Ticks all the correct boxes for allied help with a school. Sad to say where we live, and the only playgroup we have, where she can have her meltdowns, but does not like going there, because she does not like the other 6 children is at the only school available. Still a drive and back. My daughter does not want to go there. She gets bullied by the same 6 kids
Hi:
My 8 year old son is autistic and nonverbal. Due to the pandemic, we are now doing remote learning and homeschooling. My husband and I have deiced to keep him home this fall.
Can you or anyone reading this recommend any special needs homeschooling programs?