Special needs kids FTW! I am discovering this as I engage more in the learning and development of my special needs twins. They may have ‘special needs’ but they also have really cool skills. And they continue to surprise and delight us with the things they know and can do.

The reason I’m writing this post is because I’m trying to process the dreaded school report! As I mentioned in my post about why we want to homeschool our special need twins, we believe that our kids just need the chance to show what they can do. But I’m sure most special needs parents can agree that the school report really can knock your confidence.

Special Needs Kids don’t Tick all the Boxes

According to the half year Grade R report, my kids are lagging far behind in every section. Apparently they need lots of work in Home Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. Some of the benchmarks that seem quite harsh are ‘doesn’t take pride in his work’ and ‘doesn’t treat friends with respect’. As parents who are passionate about respect in general, it makes us doubt our parenting. At least there are some points that seem possible to overcome. I’m confident I will be able to teach them to hop on one foot!

Special Needs Kids have their Own Special Skills

Obviously there are many considerations when looking at any benchmarking report. Firstly I assume the school report is the result of thorough investigation. Secondly I guess it is there to gauge how children are doing in terms of what is ‘normal’. My issue is that there are some things that are not taken into consideration. For one memory and recall of more complicated items isn’t in the rapport. And my kids have that in abundance. Surely that counts for something? Also, is there any such thing as normal these days. And who wants to be normal anyway?

Turning Special Needs Upside Down

But in an effort to try and turn the negative into a positive, I’m going to take this report and turn it upside down. I’m going to start from the top and work my way down. I have already seen that my boys take pride in their work. They were thrilled with the dinosaurs they cut out and coloured in. And they can write their names. I know that in a quieter more personalised environment, they can blossom. I have investigated the practical aspects of homeschooling and this report gives me a good indication of what to teach them. And if they don’t manage some of the ‘normal’ things, then we will work on the extraordinary.

Over to You

What were your thoughts on homeschooling special needs kids? I would love to hear your stories. And as always, all advice is welcomed! Please comment below or drop me an email.