Editor’s Note: We know raising kids can be hard. That’s why we’re dedicated to making your life easier with the latest and greatest parenting advice and products. We wanted to let you know that if you chose to purchase one of the items featured in this post, we may receive a small commission for it.

Will special education help my child?

Obtaining Placement

Special Education Placement

How can parents obtain placement for their child at a school that is not on the state's "approved" list? The leading U.S. Supreme Court case on that subject is Florence County School District 4 v. Carter, 510 U.S. 7 (1993), where the Court held that parents who enroll their child at a non-approved private school may be entitled to reimbursement for tuition and related expenses if they can prove that:

The Teacher's Knowledge

The issue:
Parents need to understand that teachers may have different levels of understanding and training regarding learning disabilities or other special needs, and that teachers require additional support to enable them to serve their students appropriately.

One day you find yourself making breakfast, getting dressed for work, packing lunches, and sending your child off to school. The next moment you find yourself working from home (if at all) and becoming your child’s teacher for an indefinite amount of time. Talk about a shock to the system! As a teacher, please know that you can do this! While this abrupt transition has rocked everyone’s world, here are some things that teachers want parents to know about online learning.

Mistakes Parents Make

Special Ed Advocacy: Mistakes People Make

Here are several common errors which can undermine parents' ability to obtain appropriate services.

Resources for Pen Pals

My daughter's second-grade class is exchanging letters with a class on the opposite coast. Her excitement over receiving a reply from her new pen pal brought back my own wonderful pen-pal memories. Of course, nowadays pen pals aren't limited to pen and paper. Here are five worthy resources to help you connect safely with email pals from around the world.

I’ve always been the sort of person who finds it difficult to ask for help. Whether working on a project or managing my home, I tend to push myself too hard just so I can say I accomplished a task on my own.

Resources: Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco

What Is Needed from Your Spouse to Homeschool Successfully?

A homeschool works best when one parent can be dedicated to the effort while the other fills the essential support roles. Because homeschooling requires such a major time commitment, the person who doesn't have a full-time career outside of the home is typically the person who carries the bulk of the load in terms of planning and running the homeschool. However, a homeschool will benefit significantly from the enthusiastic participation of a spouse.

Rule one

Special Ed Advocacy: Nine Rules of Thumb

Because the stakes are so high, it is very difficult for parents of children with special educational needs to advocate calmly and objectively for the educational and related services their children need. Nevertheless, calmness, objectivity, and a third quality -- patience for the long haul -- are the parents' most important tools in a complex and often frustrating process. In the course of that process, here are a few rules of thumb I have found to be helpful to parents.

The Truth About Learning Disabilities and Special Ed

Brought to FEN by The Council for Exceptional Children.

I never planned to homeschool, and I know I am not alone. Like many parents across the country, taking on the responsibility of teaching my kids wasn’t optional. I was a middle and high school English teacher for eight years, and I have a MA in English Education. When COVID-19 shut down our schools, I thought: I’ve got this.

Boy, was I wrong.

What Is Needed from You to Homeschool Successfully?

If you are going to be your homeschool's primary teacher, principal, janitor, and so on, homeschooling your children is a major commitment on your part. In terms of time alone, you can expect that running a homeschool will require at least as much time and effort, and probably more, as a full-time job because running a homeschool successfully is in reality a full-time job. The following is a list of some of what will be required from you to homeschool successfully:

Every working parent has time management challenges. Most of us have systems that we rely on to manage our family and work responsibilities (thank you Google Calendar and Wunderlist!). One of those systems is our schools.

Thousands of those schools have closed their doors due to COVID-19. Many parents are working remotely, and many of us are wondering how to structure our days. Teachers have been tasked with developing remote learning plans and using them to keep students on track. The organizational challenges we are facing at home and in our schools are unprecedented.

Are You Qualified?

Making the Transition from Parent to Homeschool Teacher

Parents often tell me, "I'd love to homeschool my kids, but I don't think I'm qualified." Other parents are intrigued by homeschooling, but couldn't possibly imagine themselves as both parent and teacher. Is it possible for average parents to take on the enormous job of educating their children?

Your child's teacher pours their heart and soul into your child every day. Show them how much you appreciate all their hard work this Teacher Appreciation Week! Here are the top ways you can celebrate your child's teacher during the first week in May.

1. Take Over

Thinking About Homeschooling?
Here's What You Need to Know

Isabel Shaw

All parents want their children to be successful, and in today's world, a good education is the key to a successful life. For most kids, education means attending public or private school. But there are almost two million children in the U.S. who never set foot in a classroom, yet are receiving a first-rate education — through homeschooling.

Have you recently moved and looking to make your space your own? Maybe you've been there a while and you're just looking for a fresh new look. Whatever the reason, we have some home décor hacks that are simple and inexpensive.

1. Turn your backyard into a relaxing oasis with garden lights.