Doing Monday's Post on Sunday.

I'm just that kind of person.

What started us homeschooling the Elf has been covered here before, but briefly speaking... the school made it pretty clear that they would not be able to meet his needs humanely. Now they never SAID that... you know... all children being entitled to a "free and appropriate education" so that they can "achieve their maximum potential" being the "primary focus of the institution." Mm-hmm. Thankfully D was able to see how necessary this step was. Unfortunately he saw it well after I did, and we had a horrible friction-filled family life for some time.

Elf would only attend school for three hours, and of those three hours, he would be told to stay home on all field trip days because they couldn't handle him. He was suspended five days on different occasions for behaviour related to his autism. He was locked in a closet when they found his behaviour to be out of control. But really, if you don't let things *get* out of control, all this becomes unnecessary. And they didn't want to spend the money or the time to create an environment where that was possible. That's what it really comes down to.

Since homeschooling the Elf, you would not be able to tell him from any other child and his autism is not noticeable. As long as I am with him. As long as the environment is familiar. As long as the schedule is followed.

Yes, we have a big bunch of work to do in that area and I'm not really sure how to begin.

What we DID start doing is working on the academics. You may well imagine how he was behind in public school, despite my tutoring at home. The fact is, when you as the PARENT are doing the TEACHER's work the way the TEACHER wants it done, it's much harder for you to teach the material.

I feel so very free in being able to teach things the way I think they need to be presented to the Elf. In a way that *I* understand it. In public school the children actually learn their long addition from left to right and I just can't do it!! Elf is learning it "backwards" from right to left as I was taught.

Now that I am homeschooling, it's very hard for me not to cringe at the OUTRAGEOUS things my other kids must bear at public school. All that tolerance and multiculturalism make me SICK! And it's assumed that my kids will learn about sex in health. Do I get a form sent home to let me know this? NO! You have to go figure out what they are putting into those little brains and tell them no, no, no, no every stinkin' semester! It's just one of those things that, now that Elf is home, I realize how hard fighting the school really is, and how much energy I am still putting into it as I still have three children attending public schools.

But I'm so glad to have at least Elf home for now. Maybe Emperor soon if the Lord convicts D. I will say in favour of public schools that they do a lot of things it would be difficult for me to provide for my children. Patrick will be playing cello and taking an advanced English class next year. His science and math are beyond what I'd be able to "jump into" teaching him. (Not impossible, but very difficult and would take some time!)

I think with Elf I will get to review these concepts as we go. It's not that I'm stupid. But having moved around a lot as a child there were concepts I was never taught, or things I need to review. I'll ask Patrick, what's a perimeter? And after he tells me I know "what they mean" but maybe the word "perimeter" just threw me. Does that make sense?

I'm hoping to scoot back to the other blogs that are participating and read a little bit about how other families got started on their journeys.

Blessings to you guys!

Mrs. C.