school

[Es_mom]

Hi. New member here. Our youngest son, who just turned 5, has just been diagnosed with Tourettes. He has been going through a period, over the last month, where his motor/vocal tics have been pretty dramatic. Our pediatrician encouraged us to take him out of his part time preschool in an effort to decrease any unneccessary stress. We were already considering doing this and so have done so. Our ped has also encouraged to consider possible options to putting him in public school next fall, for his kindergarden year. He thinks public school might not provide the least stressful, most supportive option. (Our oldest, who has Asperger, is in our public elementary school now and doing better than we'd ever expected. It is a small, supportive school and we love it.) So, we've begun to consider home schooling our youngest next year. I'd really like some input from parents of kids with TS who have chosen to home school or have done public school instead. Pros and cons would be great. We just need more info before we make a decision. We want to do what is best for our son. Thanks!

[mythree]

My daughter who is 10 is in the public system. Our youngest in SK who has started displaying motor tics is also in the public system. I have thought of pulling them out (for my sake LOL) to wrap them in bubble wrap and protect them. But sadly since they may always have this or at least for part of their lives, they will need to learn to live with it in daily life. We have not encountered major teasing, no more than any child unfortunately experiences about having something different about them. My children will 'tic' before a birthday party when they are excited, while watching a movie, when playing, so I would be unable to remove them from all situations, for in reality tic'ing is part of them - for right now.

I know where you are coming from, but as tempting as it is, our kids need to learn to live and thrive with what they have. It doesn't define them it is just something they have.

I am not sure if you are considering homeschooling for the whole duration of his school years, but if not, it may be a lot more stressful for him to start in a later grade, after everyone has already made friends and know each other. Then if he still has tics (and I really hope he doesn't) he has to start as the new kid, with these tics. Starting him off in kindergarden, he will be new with everyone, and they will get to know him and perhaps his tics, and hopefully just get used to them.

Good luck with your decision. All the best to your little boy too.

Lisa

[Es_mom]

Thanks for the reply. I was really hoping to hear from some parents with experience in homeschooling. It's been very hard to get any objective input from people about whether or not homeschooling would be beneficial. For us, it's not really about wrapping him in bubble wrap. It's about what age is most developmentally appropriate to expose him to the teasing that will come. His ticcing, which is severe and loud and will undoubtedly be disruptive to class at times, is not something we chose to medicate him for at this time. We never considered homeschooling our oldest child, who also has "differences". So, I guess it get my feathers a little ruffled when people talk to me as if I'm considering HS for MY benefit, or to somehow niavely shelter my son from the world that he'll eventually have to face. It's really not about that. It's about a 5 year old (who incidentally is already different in history/heritage/appearance/family make up from the rest of the classmates at his school) whose parents have the option to keep him from the public school setting if it will give him an extra year to mature a little more, to be able to have one more year of confidence under his belt to be able to handle what may come. It's about not asking my son to have to fit into a round hole if he's a sqaure peg just for the sake of the public education. It's not just about ticcing, it'a about ADHD. I've worked in the public school as a nurse and have seen first hand teachers asking parents to medicate their children for hyperactivity that is disruptive to the classroom. We don't want to have to medicate (unless our son when he's old enough asks for meds for his physical/social comfort) just for the sake of public school. Experiencing the "real world" is not just accomplished through public school. So, is there anyone out there that can speak to that?

Thanks!

 

 

 

My daughter who is 10 is in the public system. Our youngest in SK who has started displaying motor tics is also in the public system. I have thought of pulling them out (for my sake LOL) to wrap them in bubble wrap and protect them. But sadly since they may always have this or at least for part of their lives, they will need to learn to live with it in daily life. We have not encountered major teasing, no more than any child unfortunately experiences about having something different about them. My children will 'tic' before a birthday party when they are excited, while watching a movie, when playing, so I would be unable to remove them from all situations, for in reality tic'ing is part of them - for right now.

I know where you are coming from, but as tempting as it is, our kids need to learn to live and thrive with what they have. It doesn't define them it is just something they have.

I am not sure if you are considering homeschooling for the whole duration of his school years, but if not, it may be a lot more stressful for him to start in a later grade, after everyone has already made friends and know each other. Then if he still has tics (and I really hope he doesn't) he has to start as the new kid, with these tics. Starting him off in kindergarden, he will be new with everyone, and they will get to know him and perhaps his tics, and hopefully just get used to them.

Good luck with your decision. All the best to your little boy too.

Lisa

[mythree]

Sorry, sounds like my reply offended you. I thought your post had said from parents who had home-schooled or who had tried public instead. I didn't' realise that you only wanted homeschooling parents. You didn't mention anything in your first post about his ADHD so I didn't realise that was your main concern about not sending him to the public system and considering homeschooling.

 

I too have done tons of research on homeschooling, for my child also has had severe tics, ADHD and a learning disability so I know where you are coming from. She started when she was 5 years old. I have researched it in case teasing got bad at school or in case her ADHD prevented her from having a positive learning experience, that way I would be able to pull her out of the system and teach her at home. She is also highly artistic so she has auditioned for arts schools as well, to have that lined up in case the typical public system doesn't work for her.

 

Like you I will not medicate at this time. I have spent a lot of money and countless hours investigating every alternative there is. I have found amazing results with the diet/supplement route that we are using and it has all been worth every penny and minute.

 

I did not mean to imply that you were doing the homeschooling for your sake and not your child or that you were wrapping him in bubble wrap. I was just talking from my experience. When I said I'd pull my daughter out (for my sake) I meant that because she herself is not complaining about school or teasing issues, it was for me who is terrified it will start and she will have irreversible self esteem issues. If she was to get teased and be uspet about it, then like I said above, I have considered all the options.

 

Sorry if I said something that ruffled your feathers. It was not intended.

[ilovedogs]

We have homeschooled since ds was 5. I am heading out right now but will come back later and tell you our story and what we like and dislike about homeschooling!

 

Bonnie

[khaty]

We have the same experience. Our 9 year old son hasn't been able to attend boarding schools in california for two months due to his tourettes. We have tried sending him several times, only to have his teacher call us to pick him up as he is too disruptive. He has very atypical syptoms besides the normal vocal and motor tics. He has a hard time sharing, his head will hurt. He has urges to eat something and his body freaks out until he gets something in his mouth.

 

 

 

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Edited March 17, 2011 by khaty