| Stories about a disturbing number of parents | | | | Death and divorce are the main reasons why a |
| abandoning their children in Nebraska have | | | | person might be left a single parent. Although |
| captured national headlines. A safe haven law with | | | | behavior issues rise in all types of children, those |
| an unfortunate loophole allows parents to drop off | | | | who have experienced a death or divorce are |
| their children at any hospital in the state without | | | | more likely to exhibit behavior problems. For these |
| consequence. Although the law was initially | | | | children in particular, home schooling is the best |
| designed to protect infants in unwanted | | | | option. Children who have lost a parent crave |
| circumstances, parents of older children are using | | | | stability and need to feel like they can trust the |
| this law as a way out of difficult situations. These | | | | adults who are still in their world. A parent who is |
| types of stories shine a negative light on all | | | | present consistently will have more insight into |
| parents across the nation, stealing the spotlight | | | | their child's behaviors and know how to best |
| away from truly newsworthy parents. | | | | handle them. It's hard to provide consistency |
| Headlines rarely feature the small group of | | | | when you are a single parent responsible for |
| dedicated single parents willing to give up | | | | handling all things, without taking a break. But, |
| everything to provide the best education possible | | | | single parent home schoolers consent that their |
| for their children. This growing group of single | | | | children are worth all the sacrifices. |
| parents may not get the recognition that they | | | | Support for Learning Disabilities |
| deserve, but the movement continues to expand. | | | | Just because a child has a learning disability does |
| It seems impossible that a single parent would be | | | | not mean that they must be enrolled in public |
| able to home school their children when in fact | | | | school. One of the most common childhood |
| they must work full time to support their family. | | | | learning disabilities, ADHD, had been proven to be |
| Bearing in mind a few vital factors, this difficult | | | | best taught in the home. The advantage of having |
| task can be accomplished. | | | | children with learning disabilities taught in the home |
| Flexibility Factor | | | | is that parents can tailor the curriculum specifically |
| When children attend a traditional school they | | | | to their needs. In a classroom of 30 children, the |
| must conform to the school curriculum and | | | | teacher will not be able to give a child with a |
| schedule. However, when a child is home schooled, | | | | learning disability the time or attention necessary |
| there is much more flexibility. For example, | | | | for their success. When parents teach their |
| classes can take place at times convenient for | | | | children, they give them their undivided attention, |
| both parent and child such as on evenings or | | | | which leads to understanding their unique needs |
| weekends. That flexibility is possible because a | | | | and better addressing those needs. |
| home schooled child may not require as much | | | | If you think your child has difficulty learning, have |
| time to learn a lesson as a whole classroom of | | | | your child evaluated by a professional. Finding out |
| students. In addition, there are curriculum available | | | | the specific disability will help parents research the |
| where older children can work independently, then | | | | nature of the disability and the most appropriate |
| review with an adult. | | | | practices for teaching the child. Knowing the |
| Family Factor | | | | specific disability will also help parents get |
| A single parent needs to secure the assistance of | | | | connected with support groups made up of other |
| friends and families in order to be successful with | | | | parents. Support groups can often be found online. |
| a home school program. Some fortunate parents | | | | Seminars are available to empower parents to |
| already have a close knit support group within | | | | deal with specific disabilities. Never believe that |
| their own communities. Other parents may need | | | | children with disabilities are better off in public |
| to relocate in order to be closer to family | | | | school. A special education teacher deals with such |
| members who are willing to help. Churches are | | | | a wide variety of disabilities that they only scratch |
| also filed with people who are more than willing to | | | | the surface of each. As the parents of one child |
| lend a hand to single parents in their attempt to | | | | with a disability, you would become a subject |
| educate their children. Some churches even have | | | | matter expert in your child's disability. Your love |
| programs for home schoolers. Often, participating | | | | and concern as a parent qualifies you as the best |
| families are happy to include children of single | | | | teacher. |
| parents on trips and special events. Even some | | | | Child-focused Curriculum |
| babysitters may be willing to work on academics | | | | Single parents home schoolers have found that |
| while watching the children. It is possible to find | | | | the best curriculum for them is the child-taught |
| support by simply reaching out. | | | | one. Robinson Curriculum is one such curriculum |
| Faith Factor | | | | that has proven results throughout the years. It |
| Some home schooling parents are willing to take | | | | was developed for her children by Laurelee |
| the risk of working from home. For some, a | | | | Robinson, whose husband was left a |
| career change is necessary in order to be able to | | | | single-parents home schooler after her passing. |
| work from home. For others, it means working | | | | The children began to teach themselves with |
| out a work-from-home deal with their company. | | | | much success. These types of curriculum's give |
| Wise financial planning and budgeting play a major | | | | single parents the freedom to guide their children |
| role in successfully implementing a home schooling | | | | in their learning, without the hassle of preparing |
| program. Shopping at yard sales, consignment | | | | and teaching lessons. |
| shops and good will stores may be a necessity. | | | | Being a single parent requires great strength, |
| Other sacrifices such as downgrading a vehicle or | | | | commitment and support from others. No one |
| moving into a smaller home may also be | | | | plans to be a single parent. But when caught in |
| necessary in order to afford less hours of work. | | | | that situation, many parents are choosing to |
| Parents need to have faith in themselves and | | | | sacrifice even more in order to provide their |
| know that although these are significant sacrifices, | | | | children the best education possible. In the end, |
| they are well worth it. | | | | these parents have no doubt that they are doing |
| Behavioral Issues | | | | the best for their child. |