August 20, 2025 • 21 mins
She was told she wasn’t qualified to teach her own child.
In this fiery and deeply encouraging episode, Christy-Faith calls out one of the most harmful lies parents of special needs children hear: “Leave it to the professionals.” After years of reading IEPs, working with families, and watching the system fail kids again and again, she delivers a bold message that parents are the real experts on their children.
And she’s not backing down.
From pediatricians who dismiss moms to school meetings where specialists don’t even show up, Christy-Faith shines a light on the broken promises of a system that too often leaves children overlooked. More importantly, she shows why homeschooling kids with special needs is not only possible but powerful. It can restore their love of learning, honor their unique strengths, and give them back their sparkle.
If you’ve ever been told you’re not capable, this episode is here to remind you: you already are.
The Christy-Faith Show | Ep. 79
🛠️ LINKS & RESOURCES
Free Homeschooling Resources
Find everything you need to simplify and strengthen your homeschool journey:
👉 https://christy-faith.com/links
Thrive Homeschool Community
Join Christy-Faith’s online community for mentorship, encouragement, and real friendships that last:
👉 https://christy-faith.com/thrive
Christy-Faith’s List
A curated directory of homeschool-friendly service providers, businesses, and colleges:
👉 https://christy-faiths-list.com
Christy-Faith’s Book: Homeschool Rising
📖 Encouragement and strategy for starting strong or starting over:
👉 https://christy-faith.com/book-homeschool-rising
🎙️ SHOW SPONSORS
BJU Press Homeschool
✔ Flexible structure with a biblical worldview
✔ Built-in critical thinking and hands-on learning
👉 https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/christy
CTC Math
✔ Online, self-paced K–12 math curriculum
✔ 50% off plus a free trial for Christy-Faith listeners
👉 https://ctcmath.com/how-it-works/home-school?tr_id=CF
LearningRx
✔ Cognitive skills training for kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and more
✔ $50 off assessment with code HOME50
👉 https://LearningRx.com
or call 866-272-4601
Lovevery – The Reading Skill Set
✔ Game-based, science-backed reading program
✔ 98% of kids improved in just 6 weeks
💰 https://lovevery.com/christyfaith
(code CHRISTY10)
👀 REFERENCES MENTIONED IN EPISODE
My Pediatrician Video
🔗 https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_wfiVWu67c/
Ep. 51: Do You Meet The Qualifications For Homeschooling?
🔗 https://youtu.be/DRZi-wKLh4E?si=nn0yhdn330t6WnI_
Ep. 70: What I Wish I Knew Before Buying Homeschool Curriculum
🔗 https://youtu.be/cCKDz0IYT4Y?si=u_Dfx5FeeM3DMKGa
🎧 SHOW RECAP
Too many parents of special needs children have been told they’re not enough. This episode flips the script and shows why that’s not true.
✅ Why professionals often underestimate parents and why that’s a mistake
✅ The hidden failures of IEP meetings and school “support” systems
✅ How homeschooling special needs kids provides true individualized education
✅ Why parents are more qualified than they think to guide their child’s future
✅ How to reclaim your child’s sparkle when the system has dimmed it
✅ The mindset shift every parent needs to break free from doubt and fear
If you’ve ever left a school meeting feeling dismissed, defeated, or doubting yourself, this episode will remind you of the truth: no one loves your child like you do, and that makes you the most qualified teacher in the room.
📌 Be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode with a parent who needs this encouragement.
💬 Have you ever been told you weren’t qualified to homeschool your child? Share your story in the comments.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Christy-Faith (00:00):
Unpopular opinion here, and I'm gonna try to stay
calm. I think pediatricians whotell mothers of children with
special needs that their childneeds to be in a school that
knows how to handle kids withtheir diagnosis, implying that
she's not capable ofhomeschooling her own child
should lose their license. Oh,snap. I said what I said. Yeah.
(00:21):
I said that in a post on socialmedia, and I meant it. And I was
not expecting the flood ofcomments and DMs that followed.
Hundreds of parents, hundredswere sharing their stories of
being dismissed, of beingdoubted, told they were too
emotional or not qualified toeducate their own child. When in
(00:42):
reality, they were the only oneswho were actually paying
attention. So today's episode isfor every parent who's been made
to feel small in an IEP meeting,who's been told they should
leave it to the professionalswhen those same professionals
sometimes barely even show up tothe meetings.
True story from many parents, bythe way. Who's had to fight just
(01:05):
to access their own child'scurriculum while navigating a
school system that feels morechaotic than ever. I have some
strong words for theinstitutions that deserve it,
but parents, here's what I wantyou to know. I see you and
you're not failing. The systemis.
And maybe you're that parentright now who said, oh, I would
(01:25):
never homeschool orhomeschooling is just for
weirdos. But now, you're herewith a child and you see that
their sparkle is dimming andthat the system is failing them.
Maybe their sparkle is alreadygone. Maybe they hate school and
they hate learning and they hategoing there every day. And it's
breaking your heart and you justdon't know what to do.
(01:48):
Now, today's episode isn't totalk you into homeschooling your
kid. Look. Not everyone canhomeschool. Not everyone should
homeschool. And if it'ssomething that's meant for you,
your heart will tug at you to doit.
But what I can do today as anexperienced educator who has
read thousands of IEPs andworked with countless children
(02:09):
at my learning center whostruggled through the system
that homeschooling, which isgonna be the topic of today's
show, can be your family'srescue plan. Now, I don't know
if homeschooling's for you, butyou hit play today for some
reason. So I'm gonna show youtoday that it's not just
possible for you to homeschoolyour child with special needs,
(02:30):
but it's better. Because I knowhow cool your child is, and I
think it's pretty amazing howtheir brain works, and the
school system was not built forthem. But homeschooling, we can
build a homeschool that suitsthem perfectly, that gives them
what they need now, and preparesthem for a bright future.
Because that IEP and that fivezero four and all those
(02:51):
accommodations, that's literallywhat homeschooling is.
Individualized, focused,flexible, and designed for your
kid and your family. Okay. Solet's get real for a moment.
Let's talk about why I believethat you, yes, you, even without
a formal educational backgroundare actually the most qualified
(03:13):
person on the planet to guideyour child's education, whether
you have a child with specialneeds or not.
And by the way, I don't lovethat label, but we gotta use it
today. I do think it's a socialconstruct. I have a whole talk
that I give on it. We're notgonna get in that today. Maybe
put it in the show notes if youwant an entire show on that.
I'd be happy to do it in thefuture. But today, I also wanna
(03:35):
address why the people tellingyou otherwise that you are not
qualified are misinformed, anddare I say this, and I mean it
with all kindness, they'reignorant. And I really hope that
they have the best intentions,but you know what? They're
defending a system that isfailing millions of kids. So I
just came in really strong.
(03:56):
Let's get to the show. Alright.I am so excited about today's
show. If you don't know mealready, I am Christy Faith,
author of the book HomeschoolRising, speaker, podcaster, and
(04:19):
founder of Thrive HomeschoolCommunity. I'm an educational
expert.
I have worked with thousands ofkids over the years. We had a
learning center and consultingfirm in Los Angeles where we
taught the kids of a listers andbillionaires. I was on the phone
every day with specialistsreading reports, reading those
IEPs, and let me tell you, thereis not a single diagnosis that
(04:42):
not only have I not read and amfamiliar with, but actually was
intimately involved in executingthat individualized plan
privately at our center becausewhy? Because the schools were
failing. I think homeschoolingis a great fit for all kids,
particularly kids with specialneeds, and I also don't think
that you need to do it by trialand error.
(05:03):
In fact, you shouldn't be. Ifyou are in that phase right now
where you are homeschooling bydoom scrolling, please, I need
you to snap out of it. I builtThrive Homeschool Community so
that you can get on a planquickly that does right by your
kids. I want you to have asuccessful homeschool, and let
me tell you, homeschooling bytrial and error is not a solid
(05:24):
educational plan. I fumbledthrough my first years of
homeschooling even as aneducator myself, and so I built
the membership that I wish I hadwhen I was starting.
We make sure you're making afantastic homeschool for your
kids that gives your kids whatthey need now and prepares them
for a bright future no matterwhat their learning profile is.
(05:45):
We have experts in there. Wehave live Zooms. You can DM with
the mentors. Thrive HomeschoolCommunity is the place where you
can finally stop ruminating atnight and wondering if you're
doing enough and if you're doingthe right things.
If that sounds good to you, youcan click the link in the show
notes to see if ThriveHomeschool Community is open. If
not, go ahead and get on thatwait list because we have
(06:06):
special things for you in store.Okay. Back to that post I was
talking about earlier that madethe Internet really mad. You
know what stood out to me mostfrom those comments on that post
and in my DMs?
It wasn't just the number ofparents who responded. It was
how many of them said theydidn't even realize they were
allowed to question the system.They didn't realize that they
(06:27):
had the option to say, no, thankyou to a room full of so called
experts, that they didn'tactually need a degree to be an
expert on their own child. Onemom told me that she sat through
an IEP meeting after months andmonths of delays only for the
school's lead specialist to noteven show up. Another said that
she was told that her son wasn'ttrying hard enough when she had
(06:51):
literal medical documentation ofhis processing disorder in her
hand.
And there are so many stories ofkids being denied services
because they were doing wellenough. And others where kids
were placed in overcrowdedclassrooms and the school was
claiming that this supportedindividualized learning. And it
(07:11):
drives me up the wall that someof these parents had considered
homeschooling, but were made tofeel like it would be selfish,
reckless, or too difficult toeven try. Now let me say this
plainly. The problem is not thatparents aren't capable.
It's that our institutions arebuilt on the assumption that
they aren't. Mama, you arecapable. You are already doing
(07:34):
what no classroom can replicate.Paying attention, adapting on
the fly, and advocating for yourchild with every ounce of energy
you have and probably bangingyour head against the wall. So
let's talk about what's actuallypossible with homeschooling.
You can get off this IEP hamsterwheel. I wanna share with you
what homeschooling can reallylook like for a child with
(07:56):
special needs and why it's notjust a backup plan. It can be
the plan, the main plan, and thebest plan. And we'll get into
that right after a word from oursponsors. As a homeschool mom
who values a family togetherapproach and leans towards the
classical and Charlotte Masonstyles, I often struggle to
bring my educational vision tolife with my kids' diverse ages
(08:17):
and learning needs.
With all our interests and superpacked schedule, bridging that
gap between the dreamyhomeschool I want and reality, I
gotta be honest. It's achallenge. Now, yes, I know
perfection isn't the goal. Butif you're listening and you
could use a little easing ofyour mental load in your day to
day, I found a resource that hasbecome the quiet hero of our
routine, and it could be areally great option for you too.
(08:38):
BJU Press homeschool curriculum.
Now many think that BJU Presshomeschool is solely an all in
one option, and though it doesexcel in that role, did you know
you can also opt for specificcourses and tailor them to fit
your family's needs just as Ihave? BJU Press homeschool
provides the perfect balance ofstructure and flexibility and
easily complements my family'smixed age family together on the
(09:01):
couch learning style. They aresecond to none in integrating a
biblical worldview, stimulatingcritical thinking, and offering
tons of hands on activities inthe lessons. To find out how BJU
Press Homeschool can comealongside you in your
homeschooling goals too, visitbjupresshomeschool.com or click
the link in the show notes. Isyour child struggling with
attention, memory, reading,writing, or math?
(09:23):
If you're experiencing this, youknow how heart wrenching it is
to watch them face thesehurdles. You've poured love,
time, and attention into theireducation, yet the struggle
persists, leaving you feelingstuck and desperately searching
for answers. You guys, I wantyou to know about LearningRx, a
proven program designed to helpyour child's cognitive skills,
enabling them to think faster,learn more easily, and perform
(09:46):
at their best. I'm talkinggetting real long term help here
with things like ADHD anddyslexia. LearningRx is backed
by thirty five years ofresearch, and their results are
transformative.
Use code HOME 50 for $50 offyour cognitive skills
assessment. Go to learningrx.comor click the link in the show
notes. Okay. Welcome back.First, let's talk about the myth
(10:07):
of professional and why yourintuition might be the most
powerful educational tool in theroom.
In our culture today, we havebeen conditioned to believe that
the only people who arequalified to teach a child with
learning differences are theones with certifications,
degrees, and laminated charts.And listen, I'm not knocking
experience or training. I am oneof those experts for crying out
(10:30):
loud. There are some incredibleprofessionals out there who
deeply care and make a hugedifference. This episode is not
about them.
In fact, I'm thankful that thosepeople who truly care are in the
system. But can we be honest fora second here too? Just because
you have a title and acertification doesn't mean
you're competent. A degreedoesn't guarantee someone will
(10:51):
see your child as a wholeperson, and a clipboard doesn't
mean that they care. You canhave an entire team of
specialists, but if they onlysee your child for twenty
minutes a week and never ask youwhat's actually working at home,
who's the real expert?
It's you. You're the one whoknows how your child responds
when they're tired, overwhelmed,or overstimulated. You are the
(11:12):
one who knows what motivatesthem. And I know you. You've
read the books.
You've stayed up lateresearching all of the options.
You've cried in your car afterschool meetings. You've adjusted
the routines. You've changeddiets. You've rearranged your
life because that's what parentsdo when something's not working.
So no. You're not just a momwho's not qualified. You're the
(11:34):
one holding the entire systemtogether while that very system
is the one telling you thatyou're not enough, and that is
where homeschooling flips thescript. At its very core,
homeschooling is an IEP, anindividualized education plan.
You're literally tailoring thecurriculum, the pace, the
format, the schedule, theenvironment, everything to your
(11:58):
child's needs.
You're doing the very thing thatIEP meetings claim to do, but
often don't have the time, theresources, or the flexibility to
actually deliver. Okay. So letme break it down for you. In a
homeschool setting, your childcan work at their own pace. That
means slowing down whensomething is hard and speeding
up when it finally clicks.
You can choose the curriculumthat makes the most sense for
(12:20):
how your child learns, not theone that's been bulk ordered by
the district. And by the way, wehelp you choose that curriculum
in Thrive Homeschool Communitywith our experts in there. We
get you on the right path. Youcan incorporate therapy, breaks,
movement, sensory tools,visuals, music, fidgets,
whatever works for your childinstead of asking for permission
(12:41):
to make adjustments. And you'renot trying to fit your child
into a system.
They're growing up in a spacethat was designed around them
from the beginning, and ithonors who they are. That's not
just homeschooling. This is goldstandard support. It breaks my
heart that parents can spendyears fighting for their child
and just hitting dead ends yearafter year. And if you
(13:03):
homeschool, you can literallystart doing it now today.
Even if you're listening to thisepisode right now in the middle
of the school year.Homeschooling is legal in all 50
states, and you can pull yourchild out legally midyear. And
if you're listening to thisright now and you're pretty
serious, you can check yourstate homeschooling laws, and
you can do it. So, yeah, youmight need to do a little bit of
(13:23):
work and a little bit ofresearch to figure it out, but
it's nothing even close tositting through one of those IEP
meetings for yet another time.So if the only thing stopping
you is the belief that you'renot qualified, I'm here to tell
you, you are and you always havebeen.
And here's the part that no onesays out loud, and if you're a
school teacher turnedhomeschooling parent like me, I
(13:45):
want you to drop a comment. Yourchild doesn't need to take every
subject at the same time onsomeone else's timeline using
methods that don't work forthem. I want your child to love
learning. If your childstruggles with language
processing or focus or emotionalregulation, why are we forcing
them through six or sevensubjects a day in a noisy
overstimulating environment?Make it make sense.
(14:08):
Alright. We gotta take a break,but stick around because I've
saved the best for last. Beforewe continue, I wanna share with
you a program that's been a gamechanger for our homeschool. At
our center, we instructed andhelped kids through pretty much
every math program on the marketand know firsthand just how
important a solid mathfoundation is for our kids'
futures. As a career educatorwith high standards, finding the
(14:28):
right program that checked allthe boxes felt like too tall of
an order until one day I triedCTC Math.
CTC Math is an online mathcurriculum for k to 12 students
with motivating interactivelessons that allow kids to learn
at their own pace. It does allthe teaching and grading so you
don't have to and their adaptivelessons adjust so your child is
progressing confidently. WithCTC Math, your child is getting
(14:50):
a top notch education, and youjust made your homeschool life
easier. Visit CTC Math dot comto start your free trial today
or click the link in the shownotes. I've got some news.
There's a new reading curriculumthat ditches workbooks and
drills for fun and games. Ifyou're thinking fun and games
sounds a little too good to betrue, it's not. Ninety eight
percent of children improvedtheir reading test scores in
(15:13):
just six weeks with the readingskill set by Love Every. It's a
phonics based program thatfollows a science of reading,
but makes learning to read fun,motivating, and confidence
boosting because it happens byplaying games and then
practicing with just right skilllevel books. Kids love it and
parent educators love it, and itworks.
Visit lovevery.com/christyfaithtoday and use code christy 10 to
(15:38):
get 10% off your purchase of thereading skill set by love every.
That'slovevery.com/christyfaith.
Alright. Let's talk about thehomeschooling win. Okay?
So for some kids, the win isn'ta full transcript of every
subject under the sun. The winis a strong foundation in
reading, writing, and mathpaired with life skills,
(16:02):
emotional resilience, andlearning how to learn. Look, we
already know that the system iscurrently preparing kids for a
world that no longer exists, andwe have the opportunity to see
how our children are gifted andto look at the skills they're
gonna need in the future andstart building a beautiful
program for them now. If yourchild can read beautifully,
(16:23):
write clearly, and do math, theycan access almost anything they
want down the line. And ifthey're not quite there yet,
that needs to become your focusand that's the plan.
And there are ways to do thatand resources to access. You can
build a program around theirinterests. But the beautiful
part is no one's being leftbehind in your homeschool just
(16:43):
because they learn differently.Now I gotta mention something
else super important, and it'sfree to all homeschoolers. If
you worry about homeschoolingbecause of what your
pediatrician or speech therapistmight think, you're not wrong to
wonder.
Did you know that I created adirectory of homeschool friendly
service providers? It's calledChristie Faith's list. I'll put
(17:05):
a link in the show notes. Andwhat this list is is it's a
directory of service providerswho have promised to support you
in your educational choice forhomeschooling. I don't want you
going anywhere and getting ahard time or worse feeling
threatened because that doeshappen.
It's completely free tohomeschool families, so make
sure to look people up in yourarea on that list so you are
(17:27):
supporting the people who aresupporting you. Again, I'll link
everything for you in the shownotes. And here's what I want
you to hear. You don't need morepressure. You need a plan that
actually honors your child andyour family, and you are not
behind and you are notunqualified.
And when those meetingsfrustrate you and you feel like
your child is not getting whathe or she needs, you're not
(17:49):
overreacting. You're not beingdramatic. You're not naive for
thinking that your childdeserves more than what the
system is offering because youare the expert on your child,
and no one loves your child likeyou do. And if you've been told
that homeschooling a child withspecial needs is irresponsible
or too much for you, you're notgonna be able to do that, or
somehow that will break yourchild or your sanity, I just
(18:13):
wanna gently push back on thatbecause I've spent my entire
career in education. I havehelped thousands of kids who
don't learn in this educationaltraditional school system box,
and what I see over and overagain is the exact opposite.
I see parents stepping out ofthe broken system and finally
watching their child thrive,being able to see them breathe.
(18:37):
I see kids going from shuttingdown to softening, reengaging.
Their sparkles are coming back.I see families learning how to
live and learn together withoutfeeling like they're constantly
swimming upstream. And no, thisisn't the easiest choice.
Don't get me wrong. Sometimesthat public school down the
street looks like an allinclusive resort, but hard
(18:58):
doesn't mean that it's bad. Harddoesn't mean that something's
wrong, and unfamiliar doesn'tmean that something's
impossible. So there's no magicformula, but there is a path,
and you don't have to walk italone. Whether you join Thrive
Homeschool Community membershipand have us help you or not, I'm
glad you listened to thisepisode today.
And I want you to know, I'mrooting for you deeply. This is
(19:21):
possible, and it could be theredemption story that you've
been looking for for years. Soif you were just waiting for
permission to trust your gut,this is it. And your child,
they're worth every scary,brave, and beautiful step you
take to fight for their future.Your child with special needs is
extraordinary, brilliant,unique, and full of potential.
(19:44):
And I know you see it, and I seeit too. But I want you to know
this, the system, they'll neversee it. You don't need their
approval to give your child theeducation they deserve. You can
just walk away. You can breakfree.
And when you do, know this. I'mstanding here cheering you on
(20:04):
every step of the way. If youwere screaming, say it louder
for those in the back throughoutthis episode and think others
might benefit from hearing thismessage, would you do one quick
thing really fast before youleave today? And it's pretty
magical, and it's completelyfree to you. Would you engage
with this episode somehow,whether hit that like,
(20:24):
subscribe, make a comment.
If you're on social media, writesomething out that will
encourage a mom who's reallystruggling right now. If you
haven't already hit that likeand subscribe, those actions
tell those tiny little robotsbehind the screen that my show
resonates and deserves more earsand more eyeballs. I'm always
uncomfortable asking favorsbecause I just wanna be here and
(20:46):
help you guys, but the realityis your little button clicking
is what helps me help morepeople. So thank you so much for
doing that on this episodetoday, and I really appreciate
it. Now go crush yourhomeschooling, and I'll see you
next week.
Unpopular opinion here, and I'm gonna try to stay
calm. I think pediatricians whotell mothers of children with
special needs that their childneeds to be in a school that
knows how to handle kids withtheir diagnosis, implying that
she's not capable ofhomeschooling her own child
should lose their license. Oh,snap. I said what I said. Yeah.
(00:21):
I said that in a post on socialmedia, and I meant it. And I was
not expecting the flood ofcomments and DMs that followed.
Hundreds of parents, hundredswere sharing their stories of
being dismissed, of beingdoubted, told they were too
emotional or not qualified toeducate their own child. When in
(00:42):
reality, they were the only oneswho were actually paying
attention. So today's episode isfor every parent who's been made
to feel small in an IEP meeting,who's been told they should
leave it to the professionalswhen those same professionals
sometimes barely even show up tothe meetings.
True story from many parents, bythe way. Who's had to fight just
(01:05):
to access their own child'scurriculum while navigating a
school system that feels morechaotic than ever. I have some
strong words for theinstitutions that deserve it,
but parents, here's what I wantyou to know. I see you and
you're not failing. The systemis.
And maybe you're that parentright now who said, oh, I would
(01:25):
never homeschool orhomeschooling is just for
weirdos. But now, you're herewith a child and you see that
their sparkle is dimming andthat the system is failing them.
Maybe their sparkle is alreadygone. Maybe they hate school and
they hate learning and they hategoing there every day. And it's
breaking your heart and you justdon't know what to do.
(01:48):
Now, today's episode isn't totalk you into homeschooling your
kid. Look. Not everyone canhomeschool. Not everyone should
homeschool. And if it'ssomething that's meant for you,
your heart will tug at you to doit.
But what I can do today as anexperienced educator who has
read thousands of IEPs andworked with countless children
(02:09):
at my learning center whostruggled through the system
that homeschooling, which isgonna be the topic of today's
show, can be your family'srescue plan. Now, I don't know
if homeschooling's for you, butyou hit play today for some
reason. So I'm gonna show youtoday that it's not just
possible for you to homeschoolyour child with special needs,
(02:30):
but it's better. Because I knowhow cool your child is, and I
think it's pretty amazing howtheir brain works, and the
school system was not built forthem. But homeschooling, we can
build a homeschool that suitsthem perfectly, that gives them
what they need now, and preparesthem for a bright future.
Because that IEP and that fivezero four and all those
(02:51):
accommodations, that's literallywhat homeschooling is.
Individualized, focused,flexible, and designed for your
kid and your family. Okay. Solet's get real for a moment.
Let's talk about why I believethat you, yes, you, even without
a formal educational backgroundare actually the most qualified
(03:13):
person on the planet to guideyour child's education, whether
you have a child with specialneeds or not.
And by the way, I don't lovethat label, but we gotta use it
today. I do think it's a socialconstruct. I have a whole talk
that I give on it. We're notgonna get in that today. Maybe
put it in the show notes if youwant an entire show on that.
I'd be happy to do it in thefuture. But today, I also wanna
(03:35):
address why the people tellingyou otherwise that you are not
qualified are misinformed, anddare I say this, and I mean it
with all kindness, they'reignorant. And I really hope that
they have the best intentions,but you know what? They're
defending a system that isfailing millions of kids. So I
just came in really strong.
(03:56):
Let's get to the show. Alright.I am so excited about today's
show. If you don't know mealready, I am Christy Faith,
author of the book HomeschoolRising, speaker, podcaster, and
(04:19):
founder of Thrive HomeschoolCommunity. I'm an educational
expert.
I have worked with thousands ofkids over the years. We had a
learning center and consultingfirm in Los Angeles where we
taught the kids of a listers andbillionaires. I was on the phone
every day with specialistsreading reports, reading those
IEPs, and let me tell you, thereis not a single diagnosis that
(04:42):
not only have I not read and amfamiliar with, but actually was
intimately involved in executingthat individualized plan
privately at our center becausewhy? Because the schools were
failing. I think homeschoolingis a great fit for all kids,
particularly kids with specialneeds, and I also don't think
that you need to do it by trialand error.
(05:03):
In fact, you shouldn't be. Ifyou are in that phase right now
where you are homeschooling bydoom scrolling, please, I need
you to snap out of it. I builtThrive Homeschool Community so
that you can get on a planquickly that does right by your
kids. I want you to have asuccessful homeschool, and let
me tell you, homeschooling bytrial and error is not a solid
(05:24):
educational plan. I fumbledthrough my first years of
homeschooling even as aneducator myself, and so I built
the membership that I wish I hadwhen I was starting.
We make sure you're making afantastic homeschool for your
kids that gives your kids whatthey need now and prepares them
for a bright future no matterwhat their learning profile is.
(05:45):
We have experts in there. Wehave live Zooms. You can DM with
the mentors. Thrive HomeschoolCommunity is the place where you
can finally stop ruminating atnight and wondering if you're
doing enough and if you're doingthe right things.
If that sounds good to you, youcan click the link in the show
notes to see if ThriveHomeschool Community is open. If
not, go ahead and get on thatwait list because we have
(06:06):
special things for you in store.Okay. Back to that post I was
talking about earlier that madethe Internet really mad. You
know what stood out to me mostfrom those comments on that post
and in my DMs?
It wasn't just the number ofparents who responded. It was
how many of them said theydidn't even realize they were
allowed to question the system.They didn't realize that they
(06:27):
had the option to say, no, thankyou to a room full of so called
experts, that they didn'tactually need a degree to be an
expert on their own child. Onemom told me that she sat through
an IEP meeting after months andmonths of delays only for the
school's lead specialist to noteven show up. Another said that
she was told that her son wasn'ttrying hard enough when she had
(06:51):
literal medical documentation ofhis processing disorder in her
hand.
And there are so many stories ofkids being denied services
because they were doing wellenough. And others where kids
were placed in overcrowdedclassrooms and the school was
claiming that this supportedindividualized learning. And it
(07:11):
drives me up the wall that someof these parents had considered
homeschooling, but were made tofeel like it would be selfish,
reckless, or too difficult toeven try. Now let me say this
plainly. The problem is not thatparents aren't capable.
It's that our institutions arebuilt on the assumption that
they aren't. Mama, you arecapable. You are already doing
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what no classroom can replicate.Paying attention, adapting on
the fly, and advocating for yourchild with every ounce of energy
you have and probably bangingyour head against the wall. So
let's talk about what's actuallypossible with homeschooling.
You can get off this IEP hamsterwheel. I wanna share with you
what homeschooling can reallylook like for a child with
(07:56):
special needs and why it's notjust a backup plan. It can be
the plan, the main plan, and thebest plan. And we'll get into
that right after a word from oursponsors. As a homeschool mom
who values a family togetherapproach and leans towards the
classical and Charlotte Masonstyles, I often struggle to
bring my educational vision tolife with my kids' diverse ages
(08:17):
and learning needs.
With all our interests and superpacked schedule, bridging that
gap between the dreamyhomeschool I want and reality, I
gotta be honest. It's achallenge. Now, yes, I know
perfection isn't the goal. Butif you're listening and you
could use a little easing ofyour mental load in your day to
day, I found a resource that hasbecome the quiet hero of our
routine, and it could be areally great option for you too.
(08:38):
BJU Press homeschool curriculum.
Now many think that BJU Presshomeschool is solely an all in
one option, and though it doesexcel in that role, did you know
you can also opt for specificcourses and tailor them to fit
your family's needs just as Ihave? BJU Press homeschool
provides the perfect balance ofstructure and flexibility and
easily complements my family'smixed age family together on the
(09:01):
couch learning style. They aresecond to none in integrating a
biblical worldview, stimulatingcritical thinking, and offering
tons of hands on activities inthe lessons. To find out how BJU
Press Homeschool can comealongside you in your
homeschooling goals too, visitbjupresshomeschool.com or click
the link in the show notes. Isyour child struggling with
attention, memory, reading,writing, or math?
(09:23):
If you're experiencing this, youknow how heart wrenching it is
to watch them face thesehurdles. You've poured love,
time, and attention into theireducation, yet the struggle
persists, leaving you feelingstuck and desperately searching
for answers. You guys, I wantyou to know about LearningRx, a
proven program designed to helpyour child's cognitive skills,
enabling them to think faster,learn more easily, and perform
(09:46):
at their best. I'm talkinggetting real long term help here
with things like ADHD anddyslexia. LearningRx is backed
by thirty five years ofresearch, and their results are
transformative.
Use code HOME 50 for $50 offyour cognitive skills
assessment. Go to learningrx.comor click the link in the show
notes. Okay. Welcome back.First, let's talk about the myth
(10:07):
of professional and why yourintuition might be the most
powerful educational tool in theroom.
In our culture today, we havebeen conditioned to believe that
the only people who arequalified to teach a child with
learning differences are theones with certifications,
degrees, and laminated charts.And listen, I'm not knocking
experience or training. I am oneof those experts for crying out
(10:30):
loud. There are some incredibleprofessionals out there who
deeply care and make a hugedifference. This episode is not
about them.
In fact, I'm thankful that thosepeople who truly care are in the
system. But can we be honest fora second here too? Just because
you have a title and acertification doesn't mean
you're competent. A degreedoesn't guarantee someone will
(10:51):
see your child as a wholeperson, and a clipboard doesn't
mean that they care. You canhave an entire team of
specialists, but if they onlysee your child for twenty
minutes a week and never ask youwhat's actually working at home,
who's the real expert?
It's you. You're the one whoknows how your child responds
when they're tired, overwhelmed,or overstimulated. You are the
(11:12):
one who knows what motivatesthem. And I know you. You've
read the books.
You've stayed up lateresearching all of the options.
You've cried in your car afterschool meetings. You've adjusted
the routines. You've changeddiets. You've rearranged your
life because that's what parentsdo when something's not working.
So no. You're not just a momwho's not qualified. You're the
(11:34):
one holding the entire systemtogether while that very system
is the one telling you thatyou're not enough, and that is
where homeschooling flips thescript. At its very core,
homeschooling is an IEP, anindividualized education plan.
You're literally tailoring thecurriculum, the pace, the
format, the schedule, theenvironment, everything to your
(11:58):
child's needs.
You're doing the very thing thatIEP meetings claim to do, but
often don't have the time, theresources, or the flexibility to
actually deliver. Okay. So letme break it down for you. In a
homeschool setting, your childcan work at their own pace. That
means slowing down whensomething is hard and speeding
up when it finally clicks.
You can choose the curriculumthat makes the most sense for
(12:20):
how your child learns, not theone that's been bulk ordered by
the district. And by the way, wehelp you choose that curriculum
in Thrive Homeschool Communitywith our experts in there. We
get you on the right path. Youcan incorporate therapy, breaks,
movement, sensory tools,visuals, music, fidgets,
whatever works for your childinstead of asking for permission
(12:41):
to make adjustments. And you'renot trying to fit your child
into a system.
They're growing up in a spacethat was designed around them
from the beginning, and ithonors who they are. That's not
just homeschooling. This is goldstandard support. It breaks my
heart that parents can spendyears fighting for their child
and just hitting dead ends yearafter year. And if you
(13:03):
homeschool, you can literallystart doing it now today.
Even if you're listening to thisepisode right now in the middle
of the school year.Homeschooling is legal in all 50
states, and you can pull yourchild out legally midyear. And
if you're listening to thisright now and you're pretty
serious, you can check yourstate homeschooling laws, and
you can do it. So, yeah, youmight need to do a little bit of
(13:23):
work and a little bit ofresearch to figure it out, but
it's nothing even close tositting through one of those IEP
meetings for yet another time.So if the only thing stopping
you is the belief that you'renot qualified, I'm here to tell
you, you are and you always havebeen.
And here's the part that no onesays out loud, and if you're a
school teacher turnedhomeschooling parent like me, I
(13:45):
want you to drop a comment. Yourchild doesn't need to take every
subject at the same time onsomeone else's timeline using
methods that don't work forthem. I want your child to love
learning. If your childstruggles with language
processing or focus or emotionalregulation, why are we forcing
them through six or sevensubjects a day in a noisy
overstimulating environment?Make it make sense.
(14:08):
Alright. We gotta take a break,but stick around because I've
saved the best for last. Beforewe continue, I wanna share with
you a program that's been a gamechanger for our homeschool. At
our center, we instructed andhelped kids through pretty much
every math program on the marketand know firsthand just how
important a solid mathfoundation is for our kids'
futures. As a career educatorwith high standards, finding the
(14:28):
right program that checked allthe boxes felt like too tall of
an order until one day I triedCTC Math.
CTC Math is an online mathcurriculum for k to 12 students
with motivating interactivelessons that allow kids to learn
at their own pace. It does allthe teaching and grading so you
don't have to and their adaptivelessons adjust so your child is
progressing confidently. WithCTC Math, your child is getting
(14:50):
a top notch education, and youjust made your homeschool life
easier. Visit CTC Math dot comto start your free trial today
or click the link in the shownotes. I've got some news.
There's a new reading curriculumthat ditches workbooks and
drills for fun and games. Ifyou're thinking fun and games
sounds a little too good to betrue, it's not. Ninety eight
percent of children improvedtheir reading test scores in
(15:13):
just six weeks with the readingskill set by Love Every. It's a
phonics based program thatfollows a science of reading,
but makes learning to read fun,motivating, and confidence
boosting because it happens byplaying games and then
practicing with just right skilllevel books. Kids love it and
parent educators love it, and itworks.
Visit lovevery.com/christyfaithtoday and use code christy 10 to
(15:38):
get 10% off your purchase of thereading skill set by love every.
That'slovevery.com/christyfaith.
Alright. Let's talk about thehomeschooling win. Okay?
So for some kids, the win isn'ta full transcript of every
subject under the sun. The winis a strong foundation in
reading, writing, and mathpaired with life skills,
(16:02):
emotional resilience, andlearning how to learn. Look, we
already know that the system iscurrently preparing kids for a
world that no longer exists, andwe have the opportunity to see
how our children are gifted andto look at the skills they're
gonna need in the future andstart building a beautiful
program for them now. If yourchild can read beautifully,
(16:23):
write clearly, and do math, theycan access almost anything they
want down the line. And ifthey're not quite there yet,
that needs to become your focusand that's the plan.
And there are ways to do thatand resources to access. You can
build a program around theirinterests. But the beautiful
part is no one's being leftbehind in your homeschool just
(16:43):
because they learn differently.Now I gotta mention something
else super important, and it'sfree to all homeschoolers. If
you worry about homeschoolingbecause of what your
pediatrician or speech therapistmight think, you're not wrong to
wonder.
Did you know that I created adirectory of homeschool friendly
service providers? It's calledChristie Faith's list. I'll put
(17:05):
a link in the show notes. Andwhat this list is is it's a
directory of service providerswho have promised to support you
in your educational choice forhomeschooling. I don't want you
going anywhere and getting ahard time or worse feeling
threatened because that doeshappen.
It's completely free tohomeschool families, so make
sure to look people up in yourarea on that list so you are
(17:27):
supporting the people who aresupporting you. Again, I'll link
everything for you in the shownotes. And here's what I want
you to hear. You don't need morepressure. You need a plan that
actually honors your child andyour family, and you are not
behind and you are notunqualified.
And when those meetingsfrustrate you and you feel like
your child is not getting whathe or she needs, you're not
(17:49):
overreacting. You're not beingdramatic. You're not naive for
thinking that your childdeserves more than what the
system is offering because youare the expert on your child,
and no one loves your child likeyou do. And if you've been told
that homeschooling a child withspecial needs is irresponsible
or too much for you, you're notgonna be able to do that, or
somehow that will break yourchild or your sanity, I just
(18:13):
wanna gently push back on thatbecause I've spent my entire
career in education. I havehelped thousands of kids who
don't learn in this educationaltraditional school system box,
and what I see over and overagain is the exact opposite.
I see parents stepping out ofthe broken system and finally
watching their child thrive,being able to see them breathe.
(18:37):
I see kids going from shuttingdown to softening, reengaging.
Their sparkles are coming back.I see families learning how to
live and learn together withoutfeeling like they're constantly
swimming upstream. And no, thisisn't the easiest choice.
Don't get me wrong. Sometimesthat public school down the
street looks like an allinclusive resort, but hard
(18:58):
doesn't mean that it's bad. Harddoesn't mean that something's
wrong, and unfamiliar doesn'tmean that something's
impossible. So there's no magicformula, but there is a path,
and you don't have to walk italone. Whether you join Thrive
Homeschool Community membershipand have us help you or not, I'm
glad you listened to thisepisode today.
And I want you to know, I'mrooting for you deeply. This is
(19:21):
possible, and it could be theredemption story that you've
been looking for for years. Soif you were just waiting for
permission to trust your gut,this is it. And your child,
they're worth every scary,brave, and beautiful step you
take to fight for their future.Your child with special needs is
extraordinary, brilliant,unique, and full of potential.
(19:44):
And I know you see it, and I seeit too. But I want you to know
this, the system, they'll neversee it. You don't need their
approval to give your child theeducation they deserve. You can
just walk away. You can breakfree.
And when you do, know this. I'mstanding here cheering you on
(20:04):
every step of the way. If youwere screaming, say it louder
for those in the back throughoutthis episode and think others
might benefit from hearing thismessage, would you do one quick
thing really fast before youleave today? And it's pretty
magical, and it's completelyfree to you. Would you engage
with this episode somehow,whether hit that like,
(20:24):
subscribe, make a comment.
If you're on social media, writesomething out that will
encourage a mom who's reallystruggling right now. If you
haven't already hit that likeand subscribe, those actions
tell those tiny little robotsbehind the screen that my show
resonates and deserves more earsand more eyeballs. I'm always
uncomfortable asking favorsbecause I just wanna be here and
(20:46):
help you guys, but the realityis your little button clicking
is what helps me help morepeople. So thank you so much for
doing that on this episodetoday, and I really appreciate
it. Now go crush yourhomeschooling, and I'll see you
next week.
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