My School Journey so far as an autistic/ADHD person.❤️❤️

[@no.name.4.u]

I love learning, and I despise school.

[@rinkincaid5470]

I'm the same way, but once I'm able to do projects on things I'm interested in I really enjoy my classes at the college. I love the science labs

[@cristinachaliandroi1369]

You don't lear at school you just repeat what you told as a parrot

[@cristinachaliandroi1369]

You don't learn as school you just repeat what you told as a parrot

[@no.name.4.u]

@@cristinachaliandroi1369 true. It is a place for social conditioning .. molding complicit workers

[@FrauSjoeblom]

Same

[@violetkitt2371]

AudHD female here. The dame loomed different on my end. (Less melt downs at school, frequent stomach upsets and bathroom breaks, would stay in seat but yawn a lot [adhd symptom of lacking stimulous] and get detention constantly for spacing out) I did self learning in college (with a deadline to hand pieces in), graduated with honors.

[@Glesga_lassie]

This is EXACTLY what happened with my now 18 year old daughter, only her being autistic wasnt picked up on until high school. I carry immense guilt about that, but im now waiting to be assessed for autusm too. My daughter isolated from nursery school onward, she is super intelligent but she wouldnt participate, make friends, and would zone out. We tried everything you have, hoping each one would work, and then realise she also has PDA and wouldnt let me teach her after we began home ed 4 years ago. She we let her take a break, begin self led education and she thrived, to the point shes now studying for the formal exams she missed at school. Toren reminds me so much of her, hes an incredible young man and i know you must be very proud of him 😊

[@ninamikus1691]

This is one of the most inspiring, encouraging stories of how to raise a child that I've heard in a long time. This is preparing for life at it's best. Thinking outside of the norms and really listening to your child and give him a chance to develop also a responsability muscle at it's own pace. The love and especially the trust your parents have in you is so moving. You're lucky champ. :)

[@samanthashirley206]

I can't tell you how much I love this. I am a homeschool mama to a neurodivergent and she's only 8 and I really want to do this but I'm scared. But deep down I know its the right choice for her. I just love how you all are sharing so much to help the rest of us naviagting this. I came here after my daughter's diagnosis. I have watched a ton of your shorts w her. So we are all learning together. And I'm finally getting her to open up about her symptoms and hopefully understand its nothing to be ashamed of. Also, one major way your channel has helped me as a mom is to understand the stimming. I feel so bad about how much we've misunderstood her symtpoms her whole life and she would get in trouble. Especially stimming and melt downs. And now I'm learning I think I'm neurodivergent as well. Unfortunately, her stimming sets my sensory issues off and I almost want to scream its so overstimulating for me. At least we now have words and ideas for all this.

[@littlelagoons]

I have not been diagnosed as autistic, I don't think that I am, but I do have an anxiety and panic disorder. Growing up, this was the model that worked for me too! I was really blessed to have parents open-minded enough, like yourselves, to allow me to teach myself and learn for myself about the world around me. I never got my high school diploma but I did start college at 15 years old. Every person is such an individual, and how we each learn is just as unique as we are. Good job, folks. ❤

[@Intrepiddabbler]

Public school teachers are not allowed/supposed to suggest that a kid has anything bc then the district has to pay for an evaluation. Also, parents who don't expect that kind of information could go off the rails with anger at the teacher/school/district for such a suggestion...and woe the entity if the suggestion is wrong. So....some parents are never informed and are so unaware that they never get the help / diagnosis the kid needs.

[@user-gl6kz2qm1x]

Oh I love that the right way for Toren was to give him space and a break 🥹🥰 In my mothertongue we have a saying that goes: grass does’nt grow faster if you pull at it. If you pull at it it breaks.

[@elibell5098]

That's amazing. What is your mother tongue?

[@user-gl6kz2qm1x]

@@elibell5098thank you ☺️. My mother tongue is german 🙈

[@mamasquatch]

I'm a mother of 4 children on the autism spectrum and my youngest is being unschooled at home. Best decision I've ever made. She learns at her own pace and retains it because she's interested. I spent 20 years battling homework and test scores, bullies and teachers that were overwhelmed. I wish I had had the courage to take my oldest children out of the system when they were young. I put way too much trust as a parent into the system. Thank you for sharing your journey. You are an amazing family.❤

[@a8s5wef6]

Being unschooled is completely different. A quality education is incredibly important and a privilege. Being autistic with ADHD is basically like putting an entire day of information in shredder and then being told you have 5 minutes to not only reassemble the information but to write a thesis on what you learned and you're also in a night club under a strobe light and there's someone running a leaf blower next to you but the 5 minutes never comes to an end and you're stuck doing this every day all day until you're 90.

[@SherioCheers]

I had different issues, I didn't interact socially, but I did LOVE the structured activities school provided. Certain things at certain times of day like clockwork was comforting to me. I think I was the ONLY kid in my class that didn't really look forward to field trips all that much except for summer programs that went to the SAME places at the SAME times every summer.

[@purpl3Fairyy]

Such a loving, accepting and caring family 🌸🩷✨

[@effie3798]

This is my son!!! Omg. Omg! Our kid is almost 6 and we are on the same exact journey. Thank you for this.

[@rushiaskinnerwallace6175]

I love you guys’ channel. What you share and the way you do so educates, informs, builds compassion, understanding and empathy as well as offers creative ideas and solutions. It also helps others going through similar things feel less alone and supported. 💕🙏🏼 (Edited for typos)

[@kgreene460]

That is quite a journey for all involved, I'm so glad you all persevered and found the right style for Toren, thank you for sharing!

[@T.Beattie89]

I love learning…especially since I’m out of school. I was also an aide in an elementary Autism room for years, and I understand your trepidation. I’m so glad you made the right choices for him. You’re amazing parents!

[@kierielong975]

I’m so thankful that my mom homeschooled me! I never would’ve made it in a school.

[@brucewalsron4231]

I went to school in the 1970s as a undiagnosed autistic with adhd. I still get very upset with what I went through. I was bad and I had only myself to blame.

[@warriormamma8098]

Excellent parenting. Unschooling can be sure a natural blessing because children are naturally curious and will learn more that way often times. I did a hybrid of homeschool where I wrote my daughters curriculum myself & unschooling on days it just did not work. She managed 3 half days of pre-k; hysterical the entire time. I only did it bc I felt pressured to do so. I told my husband after volunteering those 3 days at the pre school that while I had planned after 15 yrs as a SAHM to help him financially that I thought we needed to pray about it. I began homeschooling her while her older 3 sisters chose public school. She did a bowling group once with me sitting with her. She is kind, gifted, independent and wonderful. Straight A’s. She transitioned to online flex schooling in 10th grade and is in her final yr. We were waiting listed so long for assessment. I knew at 8 months the she was processing differently. By 12 months I was sure it was autism. Her final DX was just before turning 16! I am un DX but for sure she says I am “more” autistic than her. In a lot of ways she is correct. Certain my other 3 are on spectrum as well. We all have ADHD late DX. I am grateful to God I am able to stay home & help her so much. She deserves it. I have learned more from YT channels like yours how to improve our quality of life& explain myself to my husband which has strengthened our marriage than I learned from therapy. My youngest does regular therapy though. Bless you for educating & Sharing your journey. Thank you. We appreciate you!

[@chrystie_bowie]

My son is waiting for his evaluation. Not as profound, but I see a lot of these things in him. He already has been diagnosed with anxiety, but I'd be surprised if there isn't also ADHD and a spectrum diagnosis waiting to happen. The fact that Mama Wolf didn’t receive her diagnosis until late adulthood gives me strength to pursue help for my son, knowing he may still have these struggles even if he gets by better than some. It's still hard for him.

[@bwhitehead709]

Thank you for sharing. As a Mom I needed to hear this today. ❤

[@onfirefoley2792]

I feel you so much, thank you.

[@LateDiagnosedAutism]

I'm glad Toren was able to find a method that works for him😻😻

[@The_Winsome_Pixie]

I unschooled my children as well. It is very effective for us neurodivergent folks :)

[@mariak7622]

Love that you could do that!!! ❤ Our son is currently in public school, and there have been struggles, but he masks a lot at school, so we get the meltdowns at home. I wish we could do this!

[@jd-hj5ed]

It makes me so sad to watch Toren struggle, but I am so glad that you found what works. I am glad that both of you (parents) cared enough for your son that you were willing to be his aide, and you were willing to keep trying. Toren, you are a wonderful person. I need to find a way to make learning fun again like you do. You have helped me to understand that I am feeling overwhelmed and forced to learn stuff, and I am struggling. Sometimes, it is easier to just shut down, but that's not the answer.

[@shellyirby9828]

Wow! Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you found the right fit for Toren! I have had most of these experiences with my son. Unfortunately i had a nervous breakdown while trying to homeschool my kids. My son takes concerta, for almost a year now, and it has made the biggest difference. I didn't want to do it, but he was violent, and could focus. People tried to blame me for his autistic behaviors, and that i needed to just beat my children. I'm so glad to have found this channel, so i can see a good example of raising an autistic child!

[@JonBrase]

I didn't have meltdown issues and don't have super strong PDA (probably a bit), so school wasn't that difficult for me, but it was not paced to challenge me, and much of what I learned was from reading (including reading ahead in my textbooks), not lessons. Since I wasn't struggling and this was the 90s, an autism diagnosis wasn't even on the radar, though my kindergarten teacher did want me evaluated for ADD (as it was called then). My dad thought it was just pathologizing normal behavior (guess who the ADHD and probably the autism came from?) and I didn't get tested for another 2 decades or so.

[@WDBsirLocksight]

@1:45 Looks kinda like me when i was younger....(random oddservation at 1240AM)

[@shoman3927]

I wasn't diagnosed, just bullied into masking and shamed for not being able to learn.

[@vanesaosorio5640]

Thanks a lot!❤

[@Mrsramsey80]

You don’t know how bad I wish I could meet you guys 😭

[@Gaya-ch1ff]

Thanks for sharing

[@katzenbekloppt_mf]

❤

[@Zealousteam2.0]

I’m homeschooled too with the self learning side of things. thought i was the only teenager who did it🥲 made my whole week finding someone who does a similar thing