Am I right to discount home-edding due to DS driving me crazy during the 6 weeks hols?

[YourHandInMyHand]

I am doing some serious thinking about DS's schooling, and although HE is an option, it's not an option I've thought much about due to him driving me crackers at times! DS has autism and is almost 9.

I am a lone parent with little support and it would just be me and him the majority of the time.

Also, how would I manage if I had to go back to work?? At the moment I receive Carer's allowance but if my benefit eligibility changed for whatever reason how could I juggle work and a HE child?

Yes, you're wrong to discount HE out of hand for that reason.

But you wouldn't necessarily be wrong to decide against HE eventually for that reason.

It sounds like home education is unlikely to be an easy option for you. It might be that it is still easier than school. Depends how bad school is, and how your son responds to home education. I imagine your little guy is having quite a hard time or you wouldn't even be considering home education?

Some parents find that their children become easier to live with when the stress of school is gone from their lives, and that it transforms their relationship for the better. But you are still going to be a lone parent bringing up a child who has autism, and that is full-on.

As for work, do what is right for you and your son at this moment, and deal with the future when it happens. There are various ways to combine work and HE. If it really came to it, you could return your son to school when the time comes, but at least he would have had some years of happiness in the meantime. And it may be that he is able to deal with school better when he is older, or that a better educational setting will be available later than is available now. So I don't think that should put you off now.

Would you stand to lose anything by trying home education for a while to see how it goes?

Yep he is having a hard time Saracen

He has never really enjoyed school, coped well with it but nothing seems to improve and I things won't change on their own. He'll always be autistic and the school will always be a mainstream, curriculum lead school. :-/

I agree I can cross other bridges in the future eg if I had to go back to work but I guess I am concerned that he would then be older, know school is an option (he could overpower me now but he has been told it's the law to go to school) and be a school refuser.

"But you are still going to be a lone parent bringing up a child who has autism, and that is full-on." True. I'm feeling quite alone and overwhelmed with it TBH.

He may well be more relaxed if I take school out of the equation, it does make him very anxious, and it's doing zero for his self esteem.

Lots to think about.

Would I stand to lose anything? Well I guess I am worried it doesn't work out and he has to go back to school on an even worse footing. :-/