Hi my name is Belle, I just joined as well! Merry meet! I have one son that is gifted as well with the most prominent being animals. I am homeschooling as well and have been struggling if you have any ideas to help I would be so grateful and if I can help with anything at all let me know!! I know this is forward but I’m desperate I know in my heart that him going back to the school system would break his spirit and I will do whatever I have to make sure that doesn’t happen but we can’t keep doing what’s not working either! If you can’t or don’t want to I understand thank you for reading my message and blessed be to you and yours!!
Hi @Belle! I’m Amethyst from Southern West Virginia. Welcome to the forum! 
I’m sorry but I don’t have any kids so I have no idea about homeschooling. But I’m sure someone here will pop up with some tips for you!
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Hi, I homeschooled my son for two and half years or so. I remember that the requirements at the time in Virginia were pretty relaxed. I did not have to follow a curriculum or show he had learned anything.
One thing I used that helped me was going on the Virginia Dept of Education websites and reviewing the standards of learning for his grade level. There are documents that show what his peers would be learning in school that year in their grade, plus sample lesson plans, links to resources and texts, graphics, maps, etc. You can cobble together a curriculum just based on that if your state does something similar. You will be able to see what they are learning in history, for example.
I had a small room in my home that was a dedicated home school room. I think it’s essential to have a space for academic materials, desk, etc. I decorated the room with maps, learning posters from teacher supply stores, globe, science models. I had a bulletin board for the schedule and a bulletin board with his certificates and awards on it. It was helpful after he went back to school as a homework center and also for our ESY (extended school year) that I handled even after he went back to school.
You can also buy or download free content from Teachers Pay Teachers. It is always good to have some extra content for those off days. Lots of STEM stuff.
Library of course is good resource for books, used books, dvds, CDs.
Our area parks have started offering history and science-based programs for homeschooled students. The quality is supposed to be excellent.
If animals are a special interest for him, you can easily incorporate that into writing assignments, reading and math, as well as other subjects.
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Welcome to the forum Belle. I was a home-schooled from 7th grade until I dropped out in the 11th. I later got my G.E.D. and some college. Home school is very hard and very lonely for the student at times.
I was taught on a Christian based curriculum so that might be part of the reason I quit! I can answer questions from that perspective. I wish you both a lot luck.
Bless Be 
~Sarall
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Hi @Belle of course I will try and help as much as possible first of all where in the world are you based ? As I know different countries have different requirements from home education. Is there anything in particular that you are struggling with ?
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Merry meet @Belle 
Apologies, I don’t currently have kids and don’t know much about homeschooling aside from the fact that I’d love to homeschool my own kids (if I ever have any!) in the future 
Just wanted to wish you a warm welcome and I hope you can find some great advice for homeschooling your gifted son! 
Many blessings! 
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Feel free to dm me I have a number of resources for homeschooling. as well I can link you to a few other places as well. While I’m not sure of his age and grade level as an adult I’m enjoying some of the items in bettering myself and just for fun with my granddaughter. Heres a few links
http://www.paganparenting.com/education/homeschooling.html
https://www.pinterest.com/juniperpines1/pagan-homeschooling/
https://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/curricula-for-pagan-homeschoolers.html
https://www.moodymoons.com/2021/08/15/9-ideas-for-your-witchy-homeschool/
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Welcome, Belle! I never homeschooled my kids, so I can’t help with that, but I do hope you find what you need. 
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Welcome to the forum Belle!
I am also a homeschooling mama 
We’ve only been truly homeschooling since January of this year, but it’s been an adventure lol both good and bad, if I’m being honest. My daughter is going to be nine soon, so I’m not sure of your son’s age. I am always open to messages regarding homeschooling, too. We do a lot of child-led learning, I think. I do have the usual math, reading, and English Language Arts stuff. But we also mix in other things like working in the garden, going for nature walks, financial literacy, cooking, etc. She isn’t too interested in magic and paganism right now, so I don’t really push it on her. If she wants to learn about something, she asks me 
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Merry Meet!
I homeschooled my son (gifted) from kindergarten all the way thru some of high school (we joined a co-op so he could get used to class rooms during high school). He graduated from college and is employed, so I guess we did ok.
One of the biggest mistakes I made was following standard curriculums and underestimating what he was capable of doing. I made an effort later on to do, I believe it is called immersion lessons?, in which you choose a topic and then incorporate math, science, art, etc. into that topic. That seemed to work well, but it is a lot of work for the teacher. There may be some online now that you can find.
I joined whatever homeschool organizations I could so he could socialize. I liked it because I was able to connect with moms, and he got some athletic exercise, too. I didn’t use the computer too much. I’m old school as far as pencil and paper. Also, if he got bored with a subject, I let him test out - say with reading - if he could pass a percentage of the last tests he didn’t have to do anymore.
Our science experiments failed most of the time, so can’t offer much guidance that way, although we did have fun raising some caterpillars and releasing them as butterflies!
One thing I will caution about - we developed a very strong bond - and as he got older and enrolled in college it was VERY difficult for me to let go. I believe the poor relationship I had with his father contributed. Most moms have a safety net when their children are ready to leave the ‘nest’. I didn’t and I didn’t expect it to be so difficult. So, I urge you to plan ahead and have support lined up.
Hope this is helpful.
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