Homeschooling is one of the best options for families with autistic children or other learning differences. We’ve been homeschooling both of my autistic kids since preschool…over 12 years now! Our family has seen firsthand how beneficial it is for our kids.
If you live in Idaho, and you’re curious about homeschooling your autistic child(ren), here are 13 reasons why it makes so much sense...
Individualized Instruction
Homeschooling allows for personalized teaching methods that cater to the specific learning needs of each autistic child. You can give your kids what they need, and not have to worry about them falling behind.
Flexible Schedule
Homeschooling provides the flexibility to adapt the daily routine to accommodate therapies, appointments, and sensory breaks, ensuring a balanced and comfortable learning environment. Plus, your kids won't be exhausted from being at school all day and then trying to fit therapies in as well…they’ll have time to enjoy being a kid and you’ll have time to enjoy being their parent.
Tailored Curriculum
With homeschooling, Idaho autism families have the freedom to design a curriculum that aligns with their child's unique strengths, interests, and learning styles. Did someone say, “special interest?!”
Reduced Anxiety and Sensory Overload
Homeschooling minimizes exposure to overwhelming environments, reducing anxiety triggers and sensory overload for autistic children. It allows them to have more control and flexibility over their daily schedule and eliminates a lot of transitions, which are often a source of overwhelm that leads to meltdowns.
Individualized Pace
Homeschooling allows Idaho autism families to adjust the pace of learning, ensuring that their child has sufficient time to comprehend and master each concept. Many autistic kids do great in a few subjects but struggle in others. Some are even considered 2E or twice exceptional. Almost all autistic children have learning differences of some sort. Homeschooling allows them to work at whatever level they need.
One-on-One Attention
Homeschooling offers uninterrupted one-on-one attention, fostering a strong teacher-student bond and facilitating better understanding and progress. While this can be both a blessing and a curse, it’s a good way to ensure your child gets the individual attention they need! And if your child struggles with separation anxiety or school refusal, it can be a way to strengthen their connection with you.
Safe and Supportive Environment
By homeschooling, Idaho autism families can create a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment that fosters emotional well-being and academic growth. While some autistic children thrive within the public school setting and system, others don’t. At least if you’re homeschooling, you can guarantee your child is getting the help and support they need to do their best.
Reduced Social Pressure
Homeschooling provides a respite from social pressures and allows families to focus on building social skills in a controlled and supportive setting. Sometimes, the way to increase your child’s ability to be social is all about removing the pressure to do so. When they have more control over who they see and how they choose to interact with others, it can pave the way for a more natural, lifelong form of socialization rather than having to spend 12 years with the same group of kids who were kinda born around the same time they were and live in the same zip code.
Integration of Therapies
Homeschooling enables the seamless integration of therapies, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral therapy, into the daily routine. Often, these are the skills our kids need to focus on so they can become ready to be eager learners. Our family found therapy unschooling to be a great approach, especially in the early years!
Parental Involvement
Homeschooling encourages active parental involvement in every aspect of their child's education, promoting a deep understanding of their strengths, challenges, and progress. No one is ever going to be as invested in your kid as you are. While I don’t promote getting over-involved in your kids’ life, we do have to practice our boundaries here, knowing what is going on - actually going on - for your child academically means you can help them overcome any challenges they may face.
Homeschooling isn't all about religion…
A lot of people have the misconception that you have to be religious to homeschool, but that isn’t the case! There is a growing group of Secular Homeschoolers in the US...some got started due to the pandemic and then just kept going. Others, like my family, do it because our kids aren’t made to fit inside the public school system (for a lot of reasons). If you find yourself homeschool-curious, and you live in Idaho, this is a great group to join.
It’s “Less People-y”
You can go to the parks and attractions with fewer people and less stress. You often get the undivided attention of the gal at the aquarium, or the guy at the reptile zoo who has the time to chat with you and share all about their areas of interest. Plus, the places you’d love to take your kids on the weekend that you never get to go to because they are too overwhelmingly filled with people.. tend to be a lot quieter on a random Tuesday afternoon. And they're just as fun!
Increased Social and Academic Benefits
Separating the social from the academic can have increased positive outcomes in both arenas. When kids are in public school they’re trying to learn academics at the same time they’re trying to learn how to socialize. For a lot of autistic kids, it's just too much! Separating them so they can have educational time at home and socialization time with friends or out in the community gives them a greater chance of doing well at both and being able to successfully integrate them when they are older.
Bonus: Idaho’s Homeschooling Laws
There are no requirements in Idaho regarding homeschooling! Zilch, zero, nada! You don’t have to tell the school district what you’re doing. You don’t have to do state testing or submit any proof of learning. There is no curriculum you have to follow. You can go at whatever pace you and your child need, and study whatever they want, to get them the individualized education they deserve.
Or, you can enroll in one of the many charter schools approved for Idaho residents! The three most popular are Harmony, Overture, and Tech Trep. Realize that if you enroll in one of these programs, your child will be a public school student, entitled to a 504 plan or IEP, and you will have to give up the list of freedoms I mentioned above to receive your educational funding from the school.
Conclusion
Homeschooling is a great option for Idaho autism families who want to do something different for their children. It offers an alternative that is customized for the individual child and family. Because you can customize the education program, it becomes more effective and easier to meet the needs of each student.
While it may be easier to meet their needs, you can’t forget about your own! If you’re homeschooling and parenting an autistic kid self-care is essential!
Click here to get your free copy of "7 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Stress: A Guide for Parents of Autistic Children."
It’s filled with tried-and-true, self-care methods that work for both autism parents and homeschooling parents. These are the things I wish someone had told me years ago so I wasn’t taking “mommy breaks” hiding in the bathroom, scrolling Instagram, and eating from my secret candy stash. Ahem…
Drop a comment and let me know…would you ever homeschool your autistic kiddo? Why or why not? I’d love to know what you think!
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