Homeschooling the ADHD Child
“What is your opinion on home schooling children with ADHD?” – Annette
I work with many homeschoolers in my practice and am most supportive of the home schooling model. I have seen many ADHD children benefit from a hands-on educational curriculum where they enjoyed a flexible environment that seemed more suited to their active learning pattern.
I have especially seen it as a very successful alternative to middle school or junior high — a time where many ADHD children seem lost and out of place with all the schedules and class changes. ADHD children have a slower maturation rate which effects them particularly at the ages of 12 to 14, when they feel so different at middle school because everyone else is trying to act older. I believe sometimes they develop such negative attitudes at this age because they just don’t fit in socially.
In the home school situation, they can see their friends after school, or in home school special field trip functions and keep up their social acceptance.
It is certainly an alternative to an unhappy school situation.
