by Shari McMinn

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth (Psalm 139:13-15 ESV).

Created in God’s Image

When you observe your child, do you see that he or she is “wonderfully” made? Or do you only see their current shortcoming? It is hard, sometimes, to see the goodness in God’s creation in our children when their obstinate behavior, lack of motivation toward chores and schoolwork, and overall personality are things we do not view favorably. So, I encourage you to see your child as God’s “fearfully” made creation.

God created your son or daughter for His glory and purposes. God set your child in your family through birth, adoption, or other circumstances over which He has full control. He is working within each child and each parent at all times, for the good of His Kingdom. In the midst of the daily battles of life, be sure to view your child through the perfect lens of Almighty God and His Truth as found in His Word. I firmly believe it will change you, your relationship with your child, and your homeschool journey — for good!

In thinking about how each of us is uniquely made in God’s image, what does His Word say about the creation of mankind? So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27). And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:30). So, I want to remind you that God created you and your child in His image, God called His Creation good, therefore, His Creation of you and your child is good! Our sin nature often gets in the way of parenting and homeschooling. Yet we have hope as we look to Christ for help!

Unique Learners 2026 Poll Results

Now, I am excited to share with you the results of our Unique Learners Poll, conducted this past spring. Homeschool parents and professionals who work with children who have learning labels — from physical disabilities, to learning struggles, to emotional trauma, to highly gifted intellect — participated in this “non-scientific” poll to help us further identify the needs of our unique learner homeschool constituency. 

Between March 15 and April 15, 2026, 79 members of our Unique Learner homeschool community highlighted their top priorities by reporting learning disabilities they experienced in the homeschool community. Because participants could select up to five options, we recorded 338 total responses.

The poll confirmed a large number of respondents coping with multiple learning disabilities. More than two-thirds of respondents are dealing with ADHD (76%) and Dyslexia (70%), and more than 50 percent reported dealing with Executive Function Disorder (53%). Close to half are also dealing with Dysgraphia (42%) and Sensory Processing Disorder (42%).

Below, we ranked the 11 self-reported needs from greatest to least.

Percent of respondents who reported this learning disability:

1. ADHD (60 responses): 76%
2. Dyslexia (55 responses): 70%
3. Executive Function Disorder (42 responses): 53%
4. Dysgraphia (33 responses): 42%
5. Sensory Processing Disorder (33 responses): 42%
6. Other, including Autism, FASD, PTSD (29 responses): 37% 
7. Dyscalculia (28 responses): 35%
8. Auditory Processing (22 responses): 28%
9. Language Processing Disorder (16 responses): 20%
10. Nonverbal Learning Disorder (12 responses): 15%
11. Visual Processing Disorder (8 responses): 10%

In response to this poll, CHEC will continue to provide relevant resources in these areas of need for homeschooling families with unique learners. Be sure to sign up for our CHEC Blog weekly emails, subscribe to our Colorado Homeschool Podcast, and our FREE CHEC Homeschool Update print magazine, mailed to your home, to access encouragement and practical strategies for home educating your wonderfully made student(s). 

If you did not participate this spring in our Unique Learners Poll, you can do so now at that link. We will offer this poll as an ongoing assessment of Unique Learner needs in the homeschool community in Colorado and beyond. 

Dive Deeper: Unique Learners Resources

• If you believe your unique learner — and you as the homeschool teaching parent — would benefit from a professional evaluation of your child’s struggles and/or tutoring, please go to this CHEC Professional Tutors, Evaluators, and Testers webpages to find support services in your area. Each professional and their associated programs and/or services have been well-vetted by CHEC. 
• Find more support for you and your unique learner on CHEC’s Unique Learners webpages. 
• The CHEC.org website and all of our CHEC Recommended Resources webpages were fully updated this spring. Please take time to thoroughly review and study all the recommendations available to Unique Learner families through CHEC!

My next Unique Learner blog, “Planning for the Upcoming School Year,” will be posted on August 12, 2026 (the second Wednesday).

Shari McMinn, your trusted homeschooling friend  

P.S. If you have a topic I should write about, please email me with your suggestion(s). This blog is for you!

About the Author: Shari McMinn

Shari Howard McMinn is a mother to 11 children through marriage, birth, and adoption. An advocate for adoption, homeschooling, nurtured childhoods, and unique learners, she enjoys mentoring parents and serving in her church. Widowed while still raising and homeschooling her five youngest children, Shari was invited to work part-time for Christian Home Educators of Colorado in 2015 to supplement her family’s income. She currently is CHEC’s Advertising Manager, Editor of Homeschool Update magazine, Unique Learner Advisor, and the Exhibitor and Sponsor chair for CHEC’s annual in-person Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference and Homeschool Summits biannual virtual events. Shari is a Colson Fellow who seeks to live out her faith in community while she follows her Savior, Jesus Christ.