Hey, welcome to the site there Samantha! I must say, you and your son sound like you have some awesome personalities, hehe.

I can understand where you're coming from. It's horrible to find out that someone you love so much has a condition and worse, it's something you have been scolding him over in the past. But it's true, you didn't know back then! My parents didn't know much about my SPD and made all kinds of hurtful comments and suggestions to me over the years that had a big impact on me. It wasn't that they were bad parents. They really were trying. They just didn't understand it because there wasn't enough out there to really figure me out. We know so much more about SPD now.

So yeah, I also dealt with the bullying and the isolation. I was always the quiet kid in the corner off reading or doing something solitary and "out of sync" with the other children. Kids with SPD are different, and differences scare a lot of kids and adults who, though they may even be well-meaning, simply don't understand what's going on. It takes that big "a-ha!" or "holy crap, that's it!" moment to really make a big difference and flip your perspective completely upside down. I know that I certainly stopped scolding myself for stuff I couldn't control when I found out about my SPD, and I knew those around me who loved me would do the same once they knew about it.

You do the best you can with what you're given, and you seem to really be working on it, so I'm glad to hear that. I wish you the best in your endeavors to homeschool your child. I'm generally an advocate of homeschooling, especially when you can be a part of a network of parents and still make sure your son gets plenty of social interaction and group-work experiences. It's just so much more manageable and 'safer' for the more sensitive child who can face some real cruelties at the hands of other kids and overworked teachers in public schools. I have plenty of first-hand experience from my past, hah, though I was never homeschooled, unfortunately.

Well, I hope you find the support and community you were seeking here!

Oh, and wait... you write novels? Awesome! I've written a couple books myself and am always working on a story or a project of some sort. Getting a publisher is a real tricky part for sure, but there's also the ebook route to consider. I was able to release an ebook on Amazon last year without having to talk to anyone or pay any money.

I look forward to getting to know you. Welcome again!