Hi Lisa,  I see in the preview of this post that it is not broken up by paragraphs, so please excuse it's longevity.  I have homeschooled my oldest son, now 20, who was not diagnosed with ADHD with LD in reading and writing until he was in 4th grade. Back when he was in kindergarten  I got a phonics curriculum for us to do together for about 45 minutes a day during the week. He still had problems with beginning reading after that. His first grade teacher said he was a bit delayed in a few areas, but his artwork suggested higher intelligence because he was using advanced art techniques the other kids weren't. My son asked me to homeschool him after one year in public school because he said he was bored at school and that anything he learned, he learned from me at home. The teacher was right, my son was gifted, but it wasn't picked up until I had him tested to assess how he did after 2nd grade at home.  He was at the 7th grade level for math and science, and a bit below grade level for spelling and reading. We struggled with several different language arts curriculums, and by the 4th grade, he was refusing to do his work, a kind of mini rebellion  (he was a well behaved kid all around otherwise), so I had him go back to public school.  He lasted 2 weeks before the public school tested him and considered him 'slow', with LD in reading and writing, and ADHD. They said nothing of his being gifted.  They said it's a good thing I was going to homeschool him because he couldn't function in a regular classroom. When tested in the special education department he saw some verbal  abuse of a down syndrome child and did not want to ever go there again for testing or education. So, I had him privately tested again, paid for by our health insurance. Good thing he likes to be tested!  The Dr. said he had what he needed to be anything he wants to be. She was right, but we had a lot of hurdles to overcome. His giftedness masked his LD's early on, while his LD's masked his giftedness in the many tasks he tried to do in traditional public school. I didn't get much advise in the way of problem solving, just diagnosises. I didn't have the internet for most of the early years- I scoured homeschool catalogs and library books about homeschooling.  As we went along, I figured out how to solve several problems with attention issues, and especially learned incredible patience, especially after learning that my son was probably much brighter than I was all along! Science, math, and computers are his best subjects, though he did well in grammer and literature once we addressed his needs.  For writing I allowed him to go online with other smart kids and adults to write about computer programming (which he taught himself), and other things about computer technology. It is very possible to homeschool a special needs child with the understanding that it may be more of a lifestyle of learning verses a school set up at home. It depends on your child's learning style combined with your teaching style. This could also benefit your younger children, if any.  You have the world at your fingertips now- and the benefit of myself and other homeschooling parents that will come along here, so it's a great possiblility you can get support for many of the challenges possibly coming up.

Homeschooling your own child can be difficult when you plan on playing professor yourself.  A better idea is for you to hire tutors to home school him and then spend a few hours a day going over homework and helping him.  A child with ADHD needs more attention and if you are not getting that in the school system then exploring other alternatives is the right thing to do.  You want to ensure if you do choose the homeschooling route that he gets involved in community activities and can maintain a circle of friends his age as that is as much a part of growing up and developing as a person as school work is.  

I encourage you to homeschool. That is a fantastic thing you are willing to do for your son. You know and love your son more than anyone else. You do not need to have a background in education to homeschool. The first thing you need to do is find out the laws for your state. I would recommend that you try to find support groups in or for your area. There are some wonderful online groups also. There are many website that give information and support as well. There are some chatrooms that are for homeschoolers too. These women (mostly) are very helpful. After you bring your son home you should give him time to deschool. Take that time to get to know him and what he likes and dislikes. Spend time reading about homeschooling and the many various styles. Find out what style works for you and your son. You do not need to get tutors to teach your son. You can teach him and at the pace, and in the style that works for him. If you have further questions feel free to email me offline. My email is:  Loniam@aol.com Londa

I would suggest finding a local support group to talk to other homeschoolers in your area, and maybe checking out several different books - maybe one on classical homeschooling, and one on unschooling. There is a ton of inforamtion on the internent. I am currently homeschooling a 4th grader, 3rd grader, kindergarten, and I have two babies - I have learned many things over the years - but it took some looking into to!

Hey there.  I read your post and had to respond.  I grew up an ADHD child.  I was home taught from 3rd grade on.  I now have 3 children ages 23, 13 & 8.  Each of them have been or are being home schooled.  My oldest daughter is working on her Masters and had a full academic scholarship throughout her college years.  I would encourage you to read as much as you can about multiple intelligence learning.  It's a great way to teach all students.  Not just children labeled with learning disabilities.  I have never regretted home teaching.  It is a wonderful way to be with my kids.  We thoroughly learn our subjects and have a blast. Good luck!