My 12 year old wants to quit homeschooling

As a former homeschooling mom myself and now an educator with the public school system, I say let her try. However, you should do what you can to be involved with the school. At this age, classroom moms aren't such a regular thing, but volunteering in the office and library often happen. This will let you see how the school is run.

If it doesn't work, she can come back home.

 

I mean, if your school is bad in the area, maybe try to find another one. Personally i would HATE homeschooling, school is where you meet most of your friends when your younger anyways. I say whatever makes your kid happy, i'd do it. You don't want her to be miserable

 

I'm not a parent, but I'm an education major. I'm half way through my degree. The Montessori schools go from k-8, so may be you could enroll her into one of these schools. Basically, these schools are designed for child-centered learning, which means the student dictates what he/she wants to learn. The children who most benefit from these types of schools are advanced students, students who are labeled with a learning disability or creative children. There are public Montessori schools, just look in your area to find out.

 

Does she actually want public schooling or just socialization??? There are numerous clubs/ activities that could put your kid in social situations without the negativities of public school. Check those out & ask her about it; she might be just as interested in those activities integrated with homeschooling.

 

Teenage years are tricky. I agree with letting her try it. The decision to go to public school doesn't have to be set in stone. She can be welcomed home any old day. I homeschooled all my life and loved every day of it. Then again I had 19 brothers and sisters to keep me company and we lived in a commune to boot and traveled the world. I don't know your daughter. She may really just want to go to public school for the school work, but there's also a chance she's bored with the curriculum you use or the pressure or familiarity of family or perhaps she wants to see how she measures in the "real" world or most likely public school just seems funner to her. I've seen a lot of boring homeschooling, which is really sad. Does she have lots of friends her age? Homeschooling is not about finishing a certain amount of work it's about absorbing what you need to be competant in daily life and the profession of choice. I always had this funny feeling that if I went to a "normal school" I'd measure poorly, but because I was with mom I got A's. Then my brother 2 years my junior dropped school at 7th grade and went to college. Flew through the entrance exams, said they were super easy. Since I was definitely smarter than him, I relaxed. You might do well to ask your daughter why she wants to go. If it's for the friends and extras not the actual schooling part you could find alternatives.

 

I remember being in a very similar situation as your daughter when i was that about that age. My parents had taken me out of school in the third grade. I had no friends, I was starting to fall into the homeschool stereotype. I basically begged to be allowed to go to school but my parents wouldnt let me. So throughout the rest of middle school and highschool I grew up with no social life or friends. I was very unhappy and depressed. When I finally turned 18 and gained some level of control over my own life I was in a situation where I had very poor social skills due to never having had friends my own age. It was an absolutely horrible experience for me and I really resent my parents for it, I doubt that I will ever forgive them.

So my advice would be dont be like my parents and allow your kids to go to school.

 

yea, honestly i dont really think homeschooling is very healthy at all. there are 3 types of well being.... social, physical, and mental. all 3 of these should be balanced evenly. if its just socialization thats craved, some clubs/sports teams/etc would obviously help... it may not be necessery to completely change your way of life just to feed a craving of social interaction.

 

Hey, a lot of times theres nothing great about the "normal" socialization at school. Yea, it has its positive points. You'll make a couple really good friends and have people to talk to. But a lot of it just teaches kids to lie, make fun of others, feel further isolation, become sheep that just follow the crowd, etc...
"Normal" school isn't always better. There's a lot not to like.

 

And just because a kid is homeschooled, doesn't mean they have no interaction with other kids.
Ever hear of girl scouts or boy scouts? 4-H clubs? recreational sports teams? Outside activities like horseback riding or karate?
Then there are the friends you make that live in your neighborhood, or your parents friends kids.
I mean, I met my best friend before I even started pre-school.
And I've been a public school kid for life, but I'm actually friends with 3 homeschooled kids, from two different families, and they all turned out fine, some even better then the kids I got to school with.

 

All of us who go through school have different experiences, some good and some bad... but keep in mind that the expression 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' exists for a reason.

From about grades 4 through 10 I was tormented at school simply because my parents didn't earn as much as other kids' parents did. IT got to the point where I was being physically beaten at school for wearing the wrong kind of pants, for wearing hand-me-downs, and even wearing the same coat 2 winters in a row because my parents couldn't afford a new one. Now, that's not to say that my brother (who's 3 years younger than I am) went through the same experiences - because he was smarter (an honor roll student) he was able to develop a group of friends who were like him, and managed to fit in a bit better. Just like, I'm sure, if I have kids, they'd go through different experiences than I did growing up.

I've a neighbor with 2 teenage kids, both were homeschooled throughout gradeschool, and she decided to get them enrolled in 1 semester of public highschool. Even though she favours homeschooling, and both children excelleled because of it, she wanted them to experience public school and make the decision to continue either at homeschooling or public. One teen stayed home, the other continued with public school.

Every kid is different; the best way for kids to learn is through experience, so maybe trying a semester or a year of public school wouldn't be so bad. And being 12, they're at an age where they have to assert a bit of independance as well. Maybe going to a public school for a little while might be rewarding, who knows?

 

How can ya get a circle of friends when you are home schooled???

And how can you learn about life...I dont know being with people you learn how to deal with em and that not everybody lives in overprotection land, I dont know.

It might be a problem with americans, schools are ok here I guess. I got a little bullying at times but you know, ill send my kids there too.

I dont know , lol maybe this is a genralization but home school students are super disciplined and like, in the absolute right path that their parents have in mind...I dont know,

 

Are you being slightly overprotective? Probably.
Can highschool be slightly trautmatic for some people? Yeah.

There is no easy answer. But if I'm going to be unhappy for some reason, it's probably better that it's for trying too much rather than too little.

 

i'm al for a compromize situation, if theres alot of others in your are who homeschool i came up with the concept of community homeschooling wich is the best of both worlds
say u have 15 homeschooling families in your area.. take turns teaching the 15-20 some kids together so they can interact & develop freindships at the same time sharing the responcibilities of teaching as well as the benifits of others experiences..

 

your child is gonna have a terrible time adapting to the real world, especially if your too scared to even let her attend public school. can't be sheltered forever.

 

I think homeschooling shouldn't be allowed unless the child has some sort of disabilty or really unique family situation. Not going to school is very unhealthy. How else do you learn how to socialize and deal with... LIFE? Of course school has a lot of unpleasant expirinces (i went through quite a few) but it is so worth it to come out of that, and that kind of stuff is needed to become a strong person. If you are always sheltered at home with mommy and daddy.. that just spells out trouble. I've met a few homeschooled kids- FREAKS. no offense.

Send your kid to school, esp if she wants to go!!

 

if ur child cant handle middle school then the real world will be a swift kick in the butt, think of school as a way to "toughen up" your child teach her the right way to defend herself. Im 15 and im thankfull i go to a bad school because in the classroom im in all honors classes so the kids are good but out of the class room i learned how to deal with idiots and how to not take crap from people without getting in a fight

 

im not homeschooled im homebound which is bcuz i got kicked out of skool for the year. this sucks i wish i could be in school i need a social connection other then "this", im bored. send the kid to school for my sake and the sake of all the socially deprived children out there. all the social hurdles you will go through in school may help you. trust me. just make sure hes nice to everyone, that lessens the chance of being murdered by a poor depressed geek/nerd/gang member/ normal person turned to the darkside! he or she i dont know who were talking about. also the social interaction will help deal with the work place in the future.

Peace!

 

I completely agree. I seriously don't know what i would do with myself if i didn't go to a school. Sure theres some rough patches, but its worth it. Get to hang out with your friends all day, play sports, etc. If you don't get used to school your gunna have a rough time later on. Plus you get a larger sense of freedom and get to make your own decisions.