What age should an SPD child start Homeschool/School

I have a daughter turning 5 this year. She has a summer birthday, as in August right before school starts. I personally think she is not ready for school, she is not emotionally ready, and because her SPD has gotten worse and new issues have arisen in the past several months. I do plan on homeschooling her, I have been working with her schooling all along. I had planned on registering her as a homeschooler and starting kindergarten curriculum this year, but have had a change of heart. She is behind in her speech and her SPD has gotten worse, as mentioned above.




I had her in speech for almost 6 months when she decided she no longer wanted to cooperate and at the same time they discharged her from OT after just 4 weeks of therapy. My new plan is that I don't formally register her this year and just concentrate on her therapies and helping her, with school work as an aside. Then, next year when she is 6, and it becomes mandatory, I register her.

I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with age to start school either homeschool or regular school with a child that has SPD or any suggestions or recommendations? The homeschoolers here recommend that I completely wait until she is 6 and just educate through play and whatever else she wants to learn. I don't want to neglect schooling her early enough, but I feel it is important to help her SPD and speech first before we become structured.



Comments for What age should an SPD child start Homeschool/School

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Jul 22, 2015
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Homeschooling .
by: LornaB

I have only just seen this site, but what a revelation! My own little boy is a late august baby, and I felt just like you, and didn't want to send him to school, aged just turned four, but I did. We had problems, not necessarily related to his condition, but other bullying kids. So we took him out. I won't say it's been, or is a easy ride, but I do feel that sending C to school was like putting a square peg in a round hole, it just was never going to work for him. Because he went to school for four years and it didn't work he has even now I feel a sense of failure. I wish I had had the confidence to go with my gut and just homeschool from the start. But we're kinda taught to go with societies norms otherwise we're considered over protective parents, mollucoddling our kids. But you must do what's right for your child, there is a abundance of wonderful homeschool stuff out there, but ultimately we have to do what's right for our own lives too.

Aug 20, 2014
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my daughter is five with ADHD speech and SPD
by: Anonymous

My daughter who is also five and diagnosed with SPD and ADHD started school just a few days ago. I was worried about it because she also has a speech problem but the school has pur her on a IEP and has been very helpful. She is still in general education with the rest of her age group, but is allowed breaks throughout the day to help keep her on track.

Jul 15, 2014
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Homeschooling at an early age
by: Nicki C

I have been homeschooling and doing parent partnership for 20 years. You are absolutely on the right track with giving her more time to be ready for academics. Until her nervous system is ready for more information, she needs time to learn to manage her body and emotions first. The homeschool community in your area, who suggested letting her learn through play, will be a big help to you. Kids are all natural learners and will reach for information as they are ready. Help her to be comfortable in her own skin and she will start asking questions about the world around her. This style of learning is called "Delight Directed" and teaches "Love of Learning" rather than facts. She has her whole life to learn these facts, but only the first few years of "school" to either get frustrated and think she can't learn or discover how much fun learning can be.

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