You Will Face Obstacles Everywhere You Turn
But don't be discouraged, homeschooling is
building in it's popularity. Always remember, you know your
child best....and you know what is best for your child.
Expect obstacles such as:
- Psychiatrists: They are taught that children with bipolar need
to be in school so that they can learn to socialize with children
their own age. They have the common assumption that homeschooled
children are isolated from other children.
- Therapists: They are taught the same thing as psychiatrists,
it's standard. But you will be seeing the therapist frequently so
you need to make sure you can work with them.
- Family: Many family members, especially grandparents may
constantly question what you are doing and why. You may even find
them giving your children "tests" at family functions "Johnny can
you read what this box says?" "How much is 5 x 10?"
- Spouses and Ex-spouses: I wouldn't recommend homeschooling a
child, any child, without the approval of your spouse. Ex's may be
less inclined to be able to exert their control, but they can be an
annoyance. Some even take parents to court to insist on public or
private school.
- Friends: Your friends may or may not understand or
approve of homeschooling. Rest assured, if you are steadfast in your
resolve, others will see the value in what you are doing. You will
also make new friends homeschooling.
- The Public: Well, you may ask what does the general
public have to
do with it? The cashier at the grocery store may ask your child "Why
aren't' you in school?". Just the other day the carpet cleaner guy
(who I couldn't have cared less what he thought) began to question me
about homeschooling.....how long will you do it, don't they need
friends, etc., etc. He may not matter to me but I love to argue with
people over this issue!
So what do you do? You prepare yourself for these obstacles and you
decide who you are willing to try to convince that this is the right
thing for your family. You decide if you want to argue with the
psychiatrist or the therapist often over homeschooling or find a new
doctor. Can you ignore your family? Can you convince your friends? Do
you care about the public? |
My Experience
With Professionals
Our therapist (and she is "ours" not just my daughter's) fought me
on homeschooling for a year or two. I stood fast to every objection she
had.
And, even though she didn't agree with my homeschooling my
daughter, she stuck with me. As I stood up to the professionals
insisting that homeschooling was best and ignored every time they said
"Well eventually she has to go to school.", my daughter's therapist
watched and waited.
Now three years into this relationship with the
therapist she is my biggest fan! She has fallen in love with Waldorf and
has come completely around to believing that children with bipolar
disorder should be homeschooled!
As far as the psychiatrists go, well the first on strongly
objected to me homeschooling...I ignored him and we moved on anyway.
Currently, our psychiatrist will mention that perhaps my daughter should
go to school so I don't burn out or to get a break. I just remind him
that I'm doing this for her (and me) so that she can have the education
she needs.
You can win this battle....and more and more I hear of therapists
and psychiatrists that approve of homeschooling. |
