special needs???
Wildflower Car
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
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I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
_________________________________________________________________
i'm making a difference.�Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme0080000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtagline
Kelly Weyd
I'm always interested in this aspect of Unschooling too. My 7 year old is ADHD, Non Verbal Learning Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm new to Unschooling and I am trying to figure what it is going to look like for all of us, but especially her. It know it can be done. We are just in the learning and the fact finding stage.
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@...> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
_________________________________________________________________
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme0080000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtagline
Yahoo! Groups Links
---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@...> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
_________________________________________________________________
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme0080000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtagline
Yahoo! Groups Links
---------------------------------
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
natalijoi
Hi, ladies. My son Solstice is 8 years old. I am positive that if I
had him tested he would be diagnosed with something or another,
because , he is, in a word, weird. My mom says ADD because that's my
brother's diagnosis, and he meets a few of the basic criteria, but I
have had many other people suggest Autism, and after alot of
research, I have come to the conclusion that if he is not absolutely
a child with Asperger's, then he at least uncannily fits the minimum
criteria in the minimum categories.
I read bits on it here and there, but for us, it has always been, we
(he and I) meet the needs he does have, or work toward them, and
learn to work toward them, in the ways he shows me. And he does show
me, as all children do, at least all children I've ever interacted
with. I'm learning all the time to see things the way he does, to
understand his experience of the world around him, because it
differs from mine. (whose doesn't?)
Even if it isn't verbally, as concious mommas, learning their cues
is paramount to bonding, nurturing and communicating. And, if you
are doing that, there's not anything a class or "special program"
can do for your child, that you can't do. (or learn to do) There are
so so many methodologies for 'dealing with' special needs children,
but I think we have to weed through all of these carefully, and hold
them up to a criteria of respect for children, child led learning,
and peaceful parenting. (which, to me, is Unschooling in a nutshell)
I have picked up some good tips for things along the way, but
resoundingly, there is a call for an 'advocate', 'safe
person', 'facilitator' they can connect with and turn to for
guidance. With Unschooling, you are that built in person, no need to
train someone to bond with your child and walk them through their
classroom day. I read something recently about a teacher's
frustration with a "special needs" child, how he raised his hand
constantly, and toward the end of a particularly trying day, she
called on him once again. His request was "can you help me be good?"
This just squeezed my heart, and I thought, how sad it is, that
little boy has to focus so much on pleasing an adult with his
compliant behavior, when he isn't able to focus on gaining the
skills to get his *own* needs met. And isn't that the point?
-Natalie
had him tested he would be diagnosed with something or another,
because , he is, in a word, weird. My mom says ADD because that's my
brother's diagnosis, and he meets a few of the basic criteria, but I
have had many other people suggest Autism, and after alot of
research, I have come to the conclusion that if he is not absolutely
a child with Asperger's, then he at least uncannily fits the minimum
criteria in the minimum categories.
I read bits on it here and there, but for us, it has always been, we
(he and I) meet the needs he does have, or work toward them, and
learn to work toward them, in the ways he shows me. And he does show
me, as all children do, at least all children I've ever interacted
with. I'm learning all the time to see things the way he does, to
understand his experience of the world around him, because it
differs from mine. (whose doesn't?)
Even if it isn't verbally, as concious mommas, learning their cues
is paramount to bonding, nurturing and communicating. And, if you
are doing that, there's not anything a class or "special program"
can do for your child, that you can't do. (or learn to do) There are
so so many methodologies for 'dealing with' special needs children,
but I think we have to weed through all of these carefully, and hold
them up to a criteria of respect for children, child led learning,
and peaceful parenting. (which, to me, is Unschooling in a nutshell)
I have picked up some good tips for things along the way, but
resoundingly, there is a call for an 'advocate', 'safe
person', 'facilitator' they can connect with and turn to for
guidance. With Unschooling, you are that built in person, no need to
train someone to bond with your child and walk them through their
classroom day. I read something recently about a teacher's
frustration with a "special needs" child, how he raised his hand
constantly, and toward the end of a particularly trying day, she
called on him once again. His request was "can you help me be good?"
This just squeezed my heart, and I thought, how sad it is, that
little boy has to focus so much on pleasing an adult with his
compliant behavior, when he isn't able to focus on gaining the
skills to get his *own* needs met. And isn't that the point?
-Natalie
>
Jody
--- In [email protected], "natalijoi"
<natalijoi@...> wrote:
original post. NOBODY knows our kids better than we do, and if they
were in a school setting, they would not be getting the attention
they need to learn how to cope and function in society. One-on-one
attention allows us as parents to meet their needs and help them in
every way possible. Sure, my kid is *different* from other kids,
but being around someone who loves him unconditionally and
understands his differences (that would be me =) ) has made him an
incredibly happy child, whereas when he was in school, he was around
vicious, mean-spirited kids who didn't understand and teased him. I
only regret not pulling him out of school sooner.
By the way, many people believe that, to name only a few, Beethoven,
Alexander Graham Bell, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Edison, Einstein,
Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and even Bill Gates
had/have Asperger's - I think they all turned out just fine!
With joy,
Jody
<natalijoi@...> wrote:
>are
> Even if it isn't verbally, as concious mommas, learning their cues
> is paramount to bonding, nurturing and communicating. And, if you
> are doing that, there's not anything a class or "special program"
> can do for your child, that you can't do. (or learn to do) There
> so so many methodologies for 'dealing with' special needschildren,
> but I think we have to weed through all of these carefully, andhold
> them up to a criteria of respect for children, child led learning,nutshell)
> and peaceful parenting. (which, to me, is Unschooling in a
>**Excellent point, Natalie, and one that I was trying to make in my
> -Natalie
>
original post. NOBODY knows our kids better than we do, and if they
were in a school setting, they would not be getting the attention
they need to learn how to cope and function in society. One-on-one
attention allows us as parents to meet their needs and help them in
every way possible. Sure, my kid is *different* from other kids,
but being around someone who loves him unconditionally and
understands his differences (that would be me =) ) has made him an
incredibly happy child, whereas when he was in school, he was around
vicious, mean-spirited kids who didn't understand and teased him. I
only regret not pulling him out of school sooner.
By the way, many people believe that, to name only a few, Beethoven,
Alexander Graham Bell, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Edison, Einstein,
Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and even Bill Gates
had/have Asperger's - I think they all turned out just fine!
With joy,
Jody
Cameron Parham
**"My 7yo is ADHD, Tourettes, nonverbal learning do, and sensory processing DO"** I have a question that may be silly. My brother has 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO (the 5yo is just starting to make 3-4 word sentences). They seem pervasively mildly 'delayed', but so sweet and full of life. We love to be with them but they live 1,500 miles away. They have been in daycare since ages 2 months...their parents are 'yuppie' types, though I dearly love both of them. My freaky life choices have always upset my family but we are all determined to keep loving one another. Now, as the cousins mature (me and my 2 brothers have collectively 6 kids) it's starting to show to all that the homeschooled kids are more gentle and easier to be with than the 8yo that goes to school. He teases and criticises the 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO. Mine just love these boys right as they are, not out of any carefully conscious kindness but because we always just love people
for exactly who they are...it is just natural. I am finally getting to the question! I think my brother should unschool these kids. I haven't told my family yet that we have taken our HS journey onward to RU. It's just something they need to slowly absorb. But the 5yo with non-verbal learning DO has received a one-year reprieve from kindergarden to leave him at the preschool which they have attended since birth.. I know that kindergarden will chew the hearts out of these wonderful little boys. Has anyone here tried to share RU with someone in their family with the hopes that they would do it? I think negotiating peace in the middle east might be easier! Kelly, what would you say to reassure them that your daughter gets what she needs at home? I know that to me it seems clear that RU is best for all kids but you have to remember that my reputation as an oddball plus the fact that I don't have any kids who bear special lables could make my brother discount my ideas.
Thanks! Cameron
o ----- Original Message ----
From: Kelly Weyd <kellmar98@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:12:52 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] special needs???
I'm always interested in this aspect of Unschooling too. My 7 year old is ADHD, Non Verbal Learning Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm new to Unschooling and I am trying to figure what it is going to look like for all of us, but especially her. It know it can be done. We are just in the learning and the fact finding stage.
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@ hotmail.com> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt. com/MSN/go/ msnnkwme00800000 01msn/direct/ 01/?href= http://im. live.com/ messenger/ im/home/? source=hmtagline
Yahoo! Groups Links
------------ --------- --------- ---
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
for exactly who they are...it is just natural. I am finally getting to the question! I think my brother should unschool these kids. I haven't told my family yet that we have taken our HS journey onward to RU. It's just something they need to slowly absorb. But the 5yo with non-verbal learning DO has received a one-year reprieve from kindergarden to leave him at the preschool which they have attended since birth.. I know that kindergarden will chew the hearts out of these wonderful little boys. Has anyone here tried to share RU with someone in their family with the hopes that they would do it? I think negotiating peace in the middle east might be easier! Kelly, what would you say to reassure them that your daughter gets what she needs at home? I know that to me it seems clear that RU is best for all kids but you have to remember that my reputation as an oddball plus the fact that I don't have any kids who bear special lables could make my brother discount my ideas.
Thanks! Cameron
o ----- Original Message ----
From: Kelly Weyd <kellmar98@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:12:52 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] special needs???
I'm always interested in this aspect of Unschooling too. My 7 year old is ADHD, Non Verbal Learning Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm new to Unschooling and I am trying to figure what it is going to look like for all of us, but especially her. It know it can be done. We are just in the learning and the fact finding stage.
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@ hotmail.com> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt. com/MSN/go/ msnnkwme00800000 01msn/direct/ 01/?href= http://im. live.com/ messenger/ im/home/? source=hmtagline
Yahoo! Groups Links
------------ --------- --------- ---
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kelly Weyd
Cameron,
Oh, such a tough question. First off I am new to Unschooling. I've been looking at it and digesting it for a number of months, but am just now starting it. Part of it was I needed to get hubby on board. And I still have a lot to learn.......hubby has even more to learn. It's a journey and a process. I am known (in my husbands family) as being some kind of oddball who does really weird things, so I understand where you are coming from. I don't know how to get people to see your point of view. I am struggling with this one myself. My husbands family is very Anti-homeschooling, so once they find out about "Unschooling" they will blow a gasket for sure......maybe even turn us into social services. And my 7 year old will tell them........she tells everyone, everything. So I think my answer to them is going to be "Do some extensive research on the subject, come back to me, and we will have a calm and intelligent discussion about it" But bottom line is this is the
life we have chosen, whether others like it or not.
My girls were in the public school and they were absolutely being chewed apart. My almost 9 year old is 41 lbs. and 44 inches. She's as small as they get. Her birth mother is only 4'9". It really graveled my *ss that such a small child was such a target of every bully around. Let's go knock the wind out of her, because she's too small to fight back. And nobody on the playground ever seemed to be watching these kids. It was a real wake-up for me about what is going on in PS. My 8 year old came home every day and asked to be homeschooled. I listened and I can't tell you how happy her and I are that I did listen to my child. And now we are on this wonderful journey. My 7 year old was not fairing much better in PS either. In a perfect world all kids would be free and unschooled.
Now my question for you is does your nephew have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NLVD)? Because what you just described (someone just talking at 5) does not sound like NLVD, it sounds more like PDD or Autism. Mariah talked in sentences at 9 mo., said her ABC's at 13 months, wrote all her letters and some words at 3, and started reading at 4. But where the gap is, is in her social skills and math skills. Because of all her issues socially/emotionally she is more like a 3 year old. Simple Math she gets, but spatial concepts and such forget it. But the beauty of unschooling is we don't care anymore that she can't get spatial concepts. We are just flying with the gifts that she does have. I know plenty of people, my husbands family included that think special needs kids need to be in some type of special "Public School" environment where they can have an IEP and therapy, etc. And to me what a bunch of BS!!!! My daughter is
in a special environment, right her at home where she is loved!!!! If I feel she needs certain therapies then we will seek those out privately. Like right now we are considering seeking out some type of social skills classes, because she just does not get how to play with other children, even with me modeling that. She wants to be social, but it frustrates her, because she does not know how.
I keep hearing horror stories about special needs kids in the ps system. It's my opinion they are better off homeschooled or unschooled, but it's just my opinion. And we are still in the process of figuring out what unschooling looks like for her. The learning part is actually easy, because she loves to learn. She sat down this afternoon and wrote down all these money values on a piece of paper and was asking me all kinds of questions. That is the easy part. The harder part is what to do with a child that flies into a rage because a tag on her shirt is bothering her, or she flies into a rage because one of the neighborhood kids won't play with her. And I could go on and on about things that are just much harder for her. Or a kid who brain is just making her go in 20 directions at once and she is frustrated beyond belief. Or a kid who constantly has to be separated from her sister, because she hits her. But we are figuring it all out, slowly but surely. I've
learned to let go of a lot of things......like trying to get them to eat lunch at a certain time. Now everyone eats when they want to......really who cares when they eat. They are both active and healthy. Unschooling has taught me to look at things differently or just question things. Why do we do that or why do we need to do that. So good luck with your brother, I know I absolutely did not answer your question, but hopefully something I had to say was helpful.
Kelly
Cameron Parham <acsp2205@...> wrote:
**"My 7yo is ADHD, Tourettes, nonverbal learning do, and sensory processing DO"** I have a question that may be silly. My brother has 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO (the 5yo is just starting to make 3-4 word sentences). They seem pervasively mildly 'delayed', but so sweet and full of life. We love to be with them but they live 1,500 miles away. They have been in daycare since ages 2 months...their parents are 'yuppie' types, though I dearly love both of them. My freaky life choices have always upset my family but we are all determined to keep loving one another. Now, as the cousins mature (me and my 2 brothers have collectively 6 kids) it's starting to show to all that the homeschooled kids are more gentle and easier to be with than the 8yo that goes to school. He teases and criticises the 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO. Mine just love these boys right as they are, not out of any carefully conscious kindness but because we always just love people
for exactly who they are...it is just natural. I am finally getting to the question! I think my brother should unschool these kids. I haven't told my family yet that we have taken our HS journey onward to RU. It's just something they need to slowly absorb. But the 5yo with non-verbal learning DO has received a one-year reprieve from kindergarden to leave him at the preschool which they have attended since birth.. I know that kindergarden will chew the hearts out of these wonderful little boys. Has anyone here tried to share RU with someone in their family with the hopes that they would do it? I think negotiating peace in the middle east might be easier! Kelly, what would you say to reassure them that your daughter gets what she needs at home? I know that to me it seems clear that RU is best for all kids but you have to remember that my reputation as an oddball plus the fact that I don't have any kids who bear special lables could make my brother discount my ideas.
Thanks! Cameron
o ----- Original Message ----
From: Kelly Weyd <kellmar98@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:12:52 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] special needs???
I'm always interested in this aspect of Unschooling too. My 7 year old is ADHD, Non Verbal Learning Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm new to Unschooling and I am trying to figure what it is going to look like for all of us, but especially her. It know it can be done. We are just in the learning and the fact finding stage.
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@ hotmail.com> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _
i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice.
Join Now.
http://clk.atdmt. com/MSN/go/ msnnkwme00800000 01msn/direct/ 01/?href= http://im. live.com/ messenger/ im/home/? source=hmtagline
Yahoo! Groups Links
------------ --------- --------- ---
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Oh, such a tough question. First off I am new to Unschooling. I've been looking at it and digesting it for a number of months, but am just now starting it. Part of it was I needed to get hubby on board. And I still have a lot to learn.......hubby has even more to learn. It's a journey and a process. I am known (in my husbands family) as being some kind of oddball who does really weird things, so I understand where you are coming from. I don't know how to get people to see your point of view. I am struggling with this one myself. My husbands family is very Anti-homeschooling, so once they find out about "Unschooling" they will blow a gasket for sure......maybe even turn us into social services. And my 7 year old will tell them........she tells everyone, everything. So I think my answer to them is going to be "Do some extensive research on the subject, come back to me, and we will have a calm and intelligent discussion about it" But bottom line is this is the
life we have chosen, whether others like it or not.
My girls were in the public school and they were absolutely being chewed apart. My almost 9 year old is 41 lbs. and 44 inches. She's as small as they get. Her birth mother is only 4'9". It really graveled my *ss that such a small child was such a target of every bully around. Let's go knock the wind out of her, because she's too small to fight back. And nobody on the playground ever seemed to be watching these kids. It was a real wake-up for me about what is going on in PS. My 8 year old came home every day and asked to be homeschooled. I listened and I can't tell you how happy her and I are that I did listen to my child. And now we are on this wonderful journey. My 7 year old was not fairing much better in PS either. In a perfect world all kids would be free and unschooled.
Now my question for you is does your nephew have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NLVD)? Because what you just described (someone just talking at 5) does not sound like NLVD, it sounds more like PDD or Autism. Mariah talked in sentences at 9 mo., said her ABC's at 13 months, wrote all her letters and some words at 3, and started reading at 4. But where the gap is, is in her social skills and math skills. Because of all her issues socially/emotionally she is more like a 3 year old. Simple Math she gets, but spatial concepts and such forget it. But the beauty of unschooling is we don't care anymore that she can't get spatial concepts. We are just flying with the gifts that she does have. I know plenty of people, my husbands family included that think special needs kids need to be in some type of special "Public School" environment where they can have an IEP and therapy, etc. And to me what a bunch of BS!!!! My daughter is
in a special environment, right her at home where she is loved!!!! If I feel she needs certain therapies then we will seek those out privately. Like right now we are considering seeking out some type of social skills classes, because she just does not get how to play with other children, even with me modeling that. She wants to be social, but it frustrates her, because she does not know how.
I keep hearing horror stories about special needs kids in the ps system. It's my opinion they are better off homeschooled or unschooled, but it's just my opinion. And we are still in the process of figuring out what unschooling looks like for her. The learning part is actually easy, because she loves to learn. She sat down this afternoon and wrote down all these money values on a piece of paper and was asking me all kinds of questions. That is the easy part. The harder part is what to do with a child that flies into a rage because a tag on her shirt is bothering her, or she flies into a rage because one of the neighborhood kids won't play with her. And I could go on and on about things that are just much harder for her. Or a kid who brain is just making her go in 20 directions at once and she is frustrated beyond belief. Or a kid who constantly has to be separated from her sister, because she hits her. But we are figuring it all out, slowly but surely. I've
learned to let go of a lot of things......like trying to get them to eat lunch at a certain time. Now everyone eats when they want to......really who cares when they eat. They are both active and healthy. Unschooling has taught me to look at things differently or just question things. Why do we do that or why do we need to do that. So good luck with your brother, I know I absolutely did not answer your question, but hopefully something I had to say was helpful.
Kelly
Cameron Parham <acsp2205@...> wrote:
**"My 7yo is ADHD, Tourettes, nonverbal learning do, and sensory processing DO"** I have a question that may be silly. My brother has 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO (the 5yo is just starting to make 3-4 word sentences). They seem pervasively mildly 'delayed', but so sweet and full of life. We love to be with them but they live 1,500 miles away. They have been in daycare since ages 2 months...their parents are 'yuppie' types, though I dearly love both of them. My freaky life choices have always upset my family but we are all determined to keep loving one another. Now, as the cousins mature (me and my 2 brothers have collectively 6 kids) it's starting to show to all that the homeschooled kids are more gentle and easier to be with than the 8yo that goes to school. He teases and criticises the 2 boys with nonverbal learning DO. Mine just love these boys right as they are, not out of any carefully conscious kindness but because we always just love people
for exactly who they are...it is just natural. I am finally getting to the question! I think my brother should unschool these kids. I haven't told my family yet that we have taken our HS journey onward to RU. It's just something they need to slowly absorb. But the 5yo with non-verbal learning DO has received a one-year reprieve from kindergarden to leave him at the preschool which they have attended since birth.. I know that kindergarden will chew the hearts out of these wonderful little boys. Has anyone here tried to share RU with someone in their family with the hopes that they would do it? I think negotiating peace in the middle east might be easier! Kelly, what would you say to reassure them that your daughter gets what she needs at home? I know that to me it seems clear that RU is best for all kids but you have to remember that my reputation as an oddball plus the fact that I don't have any kids who bear special lables could make my brother discount my ideas.
Thanks! Cameron
o ----- Original Message ----
From: Kelly Weyd <kellmar98@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:12:52 AM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] special needs???
I'm always interested in this aspect of Unschooling too. My 7 year old is ADHD, Non Verbal Learning Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. I'm new to Unschooling and I am trying to figure what it is going to look like for all of us, but especially her. It know it can be done. We are just in the learning and the fact finding stage.
Kelly
Wildflower Car <unschoolfool@ hotmail.com> wrote:
This is an area I am highly lacking in, unschooling a "special needs" child.
I have a daughter with a brain tumor. She has a hand full of obvious
differences, mostly hormone and growth related. She also has a handful of
diagnosis that the Dr.'s would love to saddle her with.
I hesitate to do anything more or less with her than my other children,
aside from obvious care taking stuff. I also wonder what I might have burned
in my brain from society that is norm or not.
She was 6 when diagnosed and is 13 now. I have just now started to see some
pronounced differences.
Any helpful hints?
Peace.
Wildflower
21 years in the unschooling world and still so much to learn!
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Kelly Weyd
I can't remember if it was on this group, or even where I saw it recently. Anyway I saw something on Dan Akroyd having Asperger's, and I believe Steven Spielberg is either Asperger's or ADHD. And of course what two incredible talents. And of course there are lots of other talents in hollywood that have LD's or other things. Tye Pennington is ADHD or ADD. I have a friend that has Asperger's. She is married with two kids, and works for the Government. She is a perfectly functioning human being, incredibly intelligent. She does not like to socialize, but so what. She tells me that she is happy and it does not bother her one bit that she does not attend the neighborhood BBQ. She likes her life just the way it is. But it did take her a number of years to get to where she is. She said having undiagnosed Aspergers as a child, and being different was pure hell growing up being in Public School. Luckily as an adult she is valued and just fine.
Kelly
Jody <jodellaghf@...> wrote:
--- In [email protected], "natalijoi"
<natalijoi@...> wrote:
original post. NOBODY knows our kids better than we do, and if they
were in a school setting, they would not be getting the attention
they need to learn how to cope and function in society. One-on-one
attention allows us as parents to meet their needs and help them in
every way possible. Sure, my kid is *different* from other kids,
but being around someone who loves him unconditionally and
understands his differences (that would be me =) ) has made him an
incredibly happy child, whereas when he was in school, he was around
vicious, mean-spirited kids who didn't understand and teased him. I
only regret not pulling him out of school sooner.
By the way, many people believe that, to name only a few, Beethoven,
Alexander Graham Bell, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Edison, Einstein,
Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and even Bill Gates
had/have Asperger's - I think they all turned out just fine!
With joy,
Jody
---------------------------------
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Kelly
Jody <jodellaghf@...> wrote:
--- In [email protected], "natalijoi"
<natalijoi@...> wrote:
>are
> Even if it isn't verbally, as concious mommas, learning their cues
> is paramount to bonding, nurturing and communicating. And, if you
> are doing that, there's not anything a class or "special program"
> can do for your child, that you can't do. (or learn to do) There
> so so many methodologies for 'dealing with' special needschildren,
> but I think we have to weed through all of these carefully, andhold
> them up to a criteria of respect for children, child led learning,nutshell)
> and peaceful parenting. (which, to me, is Unschooling in a
>**Excellent point, Natalie, and one that I was trying to make in my
> -Natalie
>
original post. NOBODY knows our kids better than we do, and if they
were in a school setting, they would not be getting the attention
they need to learn how to cope and function in society. One-on-one
attention allows us as parents to meet their needs and help them in
every way possible. Sure, my kid is *different* from other kids,
but being around someone who loves him unconditionally and
understands his differences (that would be me =) ) has made him an
incredibly happy child, whereas when he was in school, he was around
vicious, mean-spirited kids who didn't understand and teased him. I
only regret not pulling him out of school sooner.
By the way, many people believe that, to name only a few, Beethoven,
Alexander Graham Bell, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Edison, Einstein,
Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and even Bill Gates
had/have Asperger's - I think they all turned out just fine!
With joy,
Jody
---------------------------------
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
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