Homeschooling A Child With Global Apraxia
Homeschooling a child with Global Apraxia can be full of unchartered waters. I homeschool our three girls and knew the dream was always to have Leeland join the crew once he hit kindergarten. He attended preschool at the special education school in our district and each and every teacher/therapist was beyond amazing. They loved him as if he was their own and I trusted them with our boy. As wonderful as that experience was for him, I was confident the next step was to homeschool him. And that decision came with many opinions, which created yet another tough, emotional season.
It is difficult to stand strong when everyone who has been pouring into your child for so many years tells you that you are making the wrong decision. I had many tearful nights with my husband, but believed homeschooling would be the best thing for our son. I know him better than anyone. I know when to push him and when he needs a minute to rest. I know that his reading ability is years ahead of his grade school age and his handwriting is years below. More than anything, I want to be the one cheering him on, watching him solve his first math problem, helping him learn to hold a pencil, and making his first scribble on the paper. I’m so thankful I didn’t let all the noise drown out my hearts desire to have him home with us.
Our Routine or Not Routine…
I’m not going to say everyday is easy, but I will say I love all the moments. With the girls, we have a pretty good routine and know what to expect each day. With Leeland, flexibility is key. Some days he wakes up and we jump right in to school time. Other days, I know he needs time to do his own thing and I will need to make him lunch and let him eat while we do his work. Some days he can do two handwriting pages. Other days, it’s zero. Some days he’s happy and focused. Other days, he just wants to get it done and is constantly telling me it’s a half day and school is closed.
The Takeaway
My biggest takeaway from all of this is that all of those scenarios above are ok. The beauty of homeschooling is flexibility and the ability to roll with whatever the day brings. I know everyone has different approaches to parenting, teaching, etc. I’m just sharing what has worked for us and to lean into the messiness that some days bring.
Leeland is thriving and I can look back just in the past few months and can see the incredible progress he has made. I’m so thankful I stayed confident and didn’t let anyone sway me down another road for his education. Homeschooling a child with Global Apraxia is possible and I would venture to say beautiful and full of adventure. If you’re thinking about or have made the decision to homeschool your child with Global Apraxia, leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your story.
