259. Home Is Our Classroom: Homeschooling A Child With Down Syndrome

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Rachel Prescott homeschools her four children, including twin daughters with Down syndrome, and shares how a surgery date and COVID led to their journey.

The episode begins with host Heather Avis introducing the topic of homeschooling children with Down syndrome, a listener-requested subject. She welcomes guest Rachel Prescott, known as Doubling Down Mom on Instagram, who homeschools her four children in Oregon, including twin six-year-old daughters with Down syndrome. Rachel explains that she and her husband, both public school graduates, unexpectedly started homeschooling when their oldest son's school start date conflicted with their daughter's surgery, and COVID solidified their path. Heather shares her own experience homeschooling her 10-year-old daughter Sunflower, who has Down syndrome, and her two sons in San Diego, noting the lack of local peers with Down syndrome in homeschool settings. They discuss services and supports, with Rachel using a charter school that provides a 504 plan and weekly drop-off classes for her daughters, while Heather utilizes a public homeschool charter with an IEP and one-on-one aid for Sunflower. The conversation delves into daily routines, with Heather describing a hybrid schedule involving morning academic work, afternoon enrichment, and community activities, while Rachel emphasizes a child-led approach with less structured curriculum for her daughters. They explore learning styles, noting differences between Rachel's daughters—Nettie's progress through scribbling and Lottie's verbal repetitions—and Sunflower's motivation through play and independence. Both highlight the challenges of balancing academic and social needs, especially for children who may not align with peers academically but do so physically and emotionally. They talk about integrating therapies minimally to reduce stress, relying on organic learning at home, and the importance of community through co-ops and charters that offer stipends for enrichment classes like rock climbing or surfing. Rachel addresses misconceptions, asserting that homeschooling isn't about hiding children with Down syndrome but rather engaging with the world and advocating through daily life. The episode concludes with Heather acknowledging that homeschooling isn't for everyone and encouraging listeners to reach out for more information, while Rachel advises giving oneself grace in the process.

As heard by us

A grounded look at homeschooling as a family routine, not a polished plan.

The Lucky Few treats homeschooling as a practical, lived-in routine rather than a polished ideal. It moves from loose unit studies to a writing class, a learning-pod setup, and even an Excel sheet on the fridge, while also showing how much more planning it takes to leave the…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get homeschooling logistics, lunch-packing grumbles, and a very real fridge schedule.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Lucky Few