Asking for advice and prayers

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Hello I really am in need of help. My little brother is 17 yrs old and has been out of school for several years. He has special needs. I believe that he was given up on to soon, with the idea that “he wont accomplish anything worthwile” I truly believe in him. I am 23 and he lives with me and his dad.

I really want him to get an education. I am willing to use the money from my job to pay for homeschooling supplies so that I can teach him, and a tutor to come in once or twice a week, if necessary. I know its a big responsibility but i cant handle it emotionally or mentally to see him given up on… Today he confided in me that the reason why he plays games all day is because he’s stuck in the house with nothing to do…and he dosen’t understand why.

At the moment he wouldn’t be interested in a faith based homeschooling program. I know this isn’t our permanent home and that it will all be better in heaven, but I wish he could have a chance at living a better quality life.So I’m asking for advice. Thank you
 
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†
 
Schools are not really permitted to “give up” on kids at that early an age–it sounds like maybe your brother has some serious barriers to learning? And yet, he is playing cideo games…

First, the idea of getting the school system involved is good in that the school has better resources for helping people with special needs.

Second, the idea of education in the US nowadays is to prepare someone to become a functioning economic unit. The Catholic view of education is different: we believe that people have minds and those minds should be developed because they are part of our humanity. Sure, a man’s means of acquiring necessary money may be digging ditches, but that does not mean he should allow his intellectual and spiritual life to be at that level.

The advantage of not going through the school system is that your beother would not be restricted in what he is taught. Maybe he doesn’t have the capacity to go far in math, bit maybe he does have the capacity to learn more about art, fine arts. (This is an example–I don’t know your beother’s strengths.) Why should your brother be held back from learning more about art because he doesn’t do well at math?

One book you might look at in One Mind at a Time by Dr Levine. It should be in your library or through interlibrary loan, and I have been seeing copies in thrift shops lately. He talks about various areas in which someone can be strong or weak, and gives some advice as to how to help.

Consider what areas your brother is strong in and what areas he is weak in. Consider if his weaknesses are vital or not–for example, it is an important life skill to be able to do basic math so as to manage one’s money, but being able to sing is not that vital. So if he were weak in math, you might want to focus on that, but if he were weak in singing, you might decide not to discourage him by emphasizing that.

Use his strengrhs to help him with his weaknesses. He’s good at computer games? Use computer games developed to help children in his areas of weakness. Use his areas of strength to help him learn new things: if he’s great at history and not good at writing, get him to do writing for his history work.

Well, this may be way more than you wanted but i think it’s really great you want to help your brother 🙂
 
Homeschooling would be great. Painting is therapeutic and relaxing. Does he himself have any ambition? If he is physically able, perhaps he could start his own lawn care business. There are many options, all would still include getting equivalent of high school diploma. Praying for your brother and for you, who lovingly cares that he become the best that he can be. God bless.
 
Be prepared to accept if it turns out that your brother doesn’t want to work with you and just wants to go back to his video games.

If that happens, it’s not your fault.
 
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