Homeschooling  with Autism

You have the ability to introduce your child to positive social experiences that may be more meaningful for a child on the spectrum than spending a lot of time in a group setting.  While yes, it is true that homeschooled children will spend less time with peers than they would in a school setting and a frequently raised concern is how a child who is homeschooled will become socialized, this does not mean that they will grow up without becoming socialized or be anti-social. 

 

Children with autism typically have different degrees of social challenges to begin with, but it does not mean that they are not social beings.  It is important to offer them sufficient opportunities to practice social skills and make friends.  Homeschooling allows parents to maintain their involvement by include their child in as many social activities as they like while providing support for their child as needed.  These events and activities can be a way to involve your child in social situations and feel comfortable.  

 

 

This whole “socialization” thing about those with autism and those who homeschool has become an absurd argument and quite frankly, it is getting old.  Many people overlook that being part of a family IS socialization.  You can instill good social behaviours into your child which they will continue to do for the rest of their lives right at home.

 

I completely cringe at the thought of people trying desperately to convince homeschoolers that children need to be sent to school in order to socialize.  When people send their kids to public school, 99.9% of the time they worry about the main social influences and concerns when their child socializes and interacts with others.  Parents and teachers put forth things in place to keep those influences to a minimum and sometimes they are successful and sometimes they are not.

 

Your child will learn all of the necessary socialization practices at home.  They will learn how to follow directions.  They will learn how to be respectful to others.  They will be respectful of property and the belongings of others.  They will learn manners such as “please” and “thank you” and learn how to be polite.  They will learn how to take turns, share, and be helpful towards others.  They will learn that they sometimes have to be patient.  They will learn that they can’t always get their own way.  All of these characteristic that you teach your child at home will continue at the park, the beach, and in any other community setting.  

 

Homeschooled children are not limited to only interacting with peers that are of similar age groups as students are at school in the classroom.  They also interact with younger children and older adults both at home and within the community.  Your child will learn how to pick their own friends based on similar interests.  Realistically, adults generally do not have an elaborate social life that most people assume children need.  They regularly interact with their family members, coworkers, a few close friends and those in their local community. 

 

My goal is to help my child grow into an adult that will know how to be able to communicate appropriately with people of all ages, navigate social situations and encounters with others respectfully, and how to form meaningful and close relationships with individuals that my child enjoys interacting with.