Homeschooling a child with anxiety presents unique challenges. These resources are for both parents making the decision to homeschool their anxious child, and those who are currently navigating the waters of homeschooling a child with anxiety.
Anxiety Complicates My Child’s Learning Everyday
When I was in the sixth grade, I ran for student council president.
One of the requirements was getting up on stage, in front of the entire school, and giving a speech about why you should be elected.
I bombed. For reals. I couldn’t remember the lines I had prepared. I stuttered and started sweating. I ran off the stage as fast as I could and burst into tears. It was pretty awful.
But what I remember most about that day is what happened next. I went back to class.
I remember trying to take a math test and the page seemingly swimming before me. I remember not being able to focus on verbal directions and wondering what was wrong with me. I remember my anxiety increasing, not decreasing as the day went on.
I didn’t learn a thing that day at school.
How Anxiety Has Changed Our Homeschool
My youngest son struggles with anxiety more intense than I ever experienced at his age.
While my difficult afternoon in sixth grade ended, and school returned to normal by the next day, my son feels that same anxiety all the time. Moreover, he is struggling to learn with that same level of anxiety every day.
One of the reasons we homeschool is to accommodate his learning needs. But the truth is, I often struggle with my own worries when I consider how best to approach his education.
He can’t just do nothing.
He’s already behind. If I don’t make him do the reading lesson, he will never learn.
I know he has anxiety, but at some point, we have to just do school – right?
Homeschooling A Child With Anxiety
Because of my own fears, I often find myself recreating that same afternoon I experienced at eleven years old, for my son.
I know you feel anxious, but we need to get this done.
Try to focus.
This is just how school works.
I find the outcome is always the same. He struggles, gets frustrated, makes little to no progress and feels defeated. I struggle, get frustrated, see little to no progress and feel defeated.
And he retains nothing.
Over time, I have learned to just accept it, and begin to accommodate it.
In this conversation with The Homeschool Sister’s Podcast, I share the accommodations I’ve made in our homeschool to help my anxious child learn most effectively.
Easing Your Child’s Anxiety
These accommodations include at home therapies specific to anxiety management. Learn about our approach to cognitive behavioral therapy and more.
Is There Anything I Can Really Do To Help My Anxious Child?
Top Resources For Homeschooling An Anxious Child
Separation Anxiety And The Older Child
Separation anxiety is something we talk about all the time for younger children. But what about when your child is older, even a young teen?
This is an honest look at separation anxiety and the older child.
Parenting A Regressive Child
Regression is another element of young childhood that’s expected. But what about the older child? What does regression look like and how does it affect social and emotional development?
For The Anxious Homeschool Mom
When our children are anxious, it’s easy for us to be anxious as well. Maybe we always have been and there’s a genetic component to the anxiety that runs in our families. Maybe we develop anxiety as we interact with and attempt to help our anxious children.
Either way, this is an honest look at what it’s like to be an anxious homeschool mom.
Please click on the links below for real life examples and ideas for decreasing anxiety in our homeschools. This includes a focus on mom’s anxiety and our children’s anxiety, as well as some activities to help reduce stress and have fun as we learn.
More Resources For Helping You Homeschool An Anxious Child
When Your Child Is Too Anxious To Learn
Anxiety And The Struggling Reader
Does Art Therapy Really Work For An Anxious Child?
Stress Reducing Activities For Anxious Kids
Should You Homeschool A Child With Anxiety?
Homeschooling is one of the best decisions I have made for my children. Because they both experience crippling anxiety at times, the freedom to take care of their mental health and behavioral needs far outweighs any academic goals we may have.
Moreover, it is preparing them for their future. Because they will likely be adults who struggle with anxiety, spending our days focused on how to help them best learn, grow, cope and live well is preparing them. After all, isn’t that what education is for?