Why We Homeschool

Homeschooling had been on my mind for a couple of years, but this past school year pushed me to seriously consider making the change. My son started experiencing severe panic attacks—four out of five school days—before even walking into the building. The bullying had become unbearable, and despite our efforts, nothing was changing. Conversations with the school and even the other child only helped temporarily. Eventually, the cycle would start all over again.

As a mom, it’s heartbreaking to force your child into a place where they don’t feel safe.

IEP meetings became battles—trying to advocate for what I believed my child truly needed just to succeed in a typical day. When I asked about sensory accommodations, I was told he could sit in the hallway or take a walk. There was no designated space for sensory regulation, even though other schools in the district had them. That lack of support spoke volumes.

Thankfully, both of my boys had one incredible teacher who truly understood them. She went above and beyond to get them what they needed and supported us in ways I’ll forever be grateful for. She was a blessing—without her, we wouldn’t have made it as far as we did in the public school system. But even with her help, it still wasn’t enough.

School is supposed to be a place of learning, joy, and friendships. But my boys weren’t thriving. They struggled with reading social cues and just wanted to make friends, but often found themselves left out or misunderstood because they were different. And while I understand that not everyone will connect, my boys couldn’t grasp why they weren’t accepted—and it hurt.

Later in the year, we received confirmation that both boys are on the autism spectrum. They both struggle with social-emotional development, and one of them also has challenges with reading and handwriting. They often couldn’t recognize when they were being bullied, mistaking unkindness for friendship.

We had them in therapy, occupational therapy, tutoring—you name it. But despite all of our efforts, their joy and spark were missing. Something had to change.

Then I found a homeschool hybrid program that felt like the right fit. I attended informational sessions, asked a ton of questions, and had honest conversations with the director—who was incredibly supportive and transparent. She even brought up the possibility of panic attacks and how that would be handled, which showed me how much she genuinely cared.

Once I felt confident, I took the boys on a two-hour tour of the school. They participated in a math class (their favorite subject) and had a blast during recess. Before we even left the parking lot, my son said, “I want to go there next year!”My heart nearly burst. For the first time in a long time, he was excited about going to school.

And that was all the confirmation I needed.

We’re just getting started on our homeschool journey, but I already feel like we’re on the right path. Stay tuned as we continue navigating this new adventure—one step, one smile, and one breakthrough at a time.