Do you let your child decide whether to go to high school?

[Shawn On the Border]

My 13 year old son wants to go to public high school to meet more friends (and girls). Our local school is not that great, and it is HUGE! If he were academically motivated, I'm sure he could do well there, but he is attracted to the funny, cool kids. There are private schools which are a possibility, so I guess we will visit them. My husband and I were leaning toward homeschooling through high school (with community college classes) because he has done so well academically. Do you think we should allow him to decide?

[Starr]

I don't think 13 year olds really know what they are deciding. He doesn't know anything about school really. I would make the final decision. I guess I would worry about his reasons. Does he need these "friends and girls"?

[SonshineLearner]

At ours, we can compromise and let them do art... choir.. etc. Do you have that choice? I don't think that HS for a student *needs* to be their choice. I suppose it depends on your view of parenting. Do you still view yourself as responsible for making those decisions? OR do you consider that teens are "more responsible" than ...at least you are... for "big life decisions". I know parents who believe that teens are MORE responsible than the parents at this stage of life....

Carrie:-)

[gingersmom]

I am going to let my daughter decide if she wants to go back to school for high school. Private school will be her only option.

 

We discuss it now even though it is nearly 2 years away. I think there are pros/cons and I want to hear her thoughts and desires as I express my own thoughts and desires for her.

 

In my neck of the woods there is no taking classes at public school part time.

[Sunshine State Sue]

If there was a public or private school I found acceptable, I would let him decide. A public school with poor academics would not be acceptable. A private school I could not afford would not be acceptable.

 

Can you stipulate that he is allowed to go to public high school provided he takes x number of honors classes and keeps a B average?

 

Frankly, after spending 9 years giving ds an outstanding education, I would be reluctant to have him attend a mediocre high school.

 

:grouphug:

[Murphy101]

Nope.

[Miss Marple]

No. That decision has too many consequences for a 13 year old to make, IMO. I think you can take his reasoning into account when you make the decision. But, based on his reasons, I think you can find a much better way to fulfill his social needs than enrolling him in a "not so great" school. There are so many better reasons for enrolling a student in public/private school - but it sounds like he is just looking for more socialization. Is he the only child you have in homeschool?

[Julie in MN]

Nope.

 

Nope here, too.

[Tokyomarie]

We make the decision because we are the parents & we believe that mature adults should be making the decision, not young adolescents. However, we don't make the decision in a vacuum; we do take our children's opinions into consideration.

 

Our considerations include: the child's level of maturity, his reasons & our reasons for considering the idea in the first place, the options available & their academic & social fit for the particular child, distance from home, & cost (if a private high school).

 

So far, since we arrived in the USA 9 years ago, we have chosen homeschool. Our oldest went to an international school for 9th grade and was home for 10th-12th w/some classes outsourced online & in the community (including co-op & community college). Our middle child was home for middle school & high school with some online & co-op classes. So far our youngest is home for 9th grade with some co-op classes. I have it in the back of my mind that he we might consider some technical courses at the high school or the community college while homeschooling for core academics- no decisions made, though.

[AngelaNYC]

Yes. My kids have the option to go to high school. Here in NYC we have so many (free) high school options and many of them focus on specific areas. Dd 15 is a junior in a journalism school. Dd 13 will be auditioning for performing arts schools (dance). We choose the high schools VERY carefully here, taking everything into account.

 

If I lived in a place where there was limited high school choice, I would have to absolutely LOVE the school to allow my kids to go there.

[rwjx2khsmj]

Thanks for asking the question. I'm eagerly reading and thinking about the answers everyone is giving.

 

We just began homeschooling for our middle two and really never expected our oldest to be interested in leaving public school. She chose to join us at home this year but is planning to go back to public school next year.

 

I'd love to have her stay home and continue. I know she's learning more here and benefitting for the experience. I also know that she'll be fine at the public school. We all made a commitment to homeschool this year and we've agreed to hold off discussion and debate about next year until April.

[forevergrace]

I'll go right along w/we are the parents, and we decide posts. I believe children are to young to know what is right for them. There is safety w/boundaries, even if they are yelling and kicking about doing it their own way. Sometimes they are really yelling, "tell me what to do, I don't know and this is too much for me to think about."

 

My oldest dd went to Catholic school, I'm not Catholic and was a single parent. However, I realized then that it was the best education I could give her. Nothing compares to structure, rules and consequences. She griped and complain, and was held accountable for all her mistakes. Now dd is twenty-three-years-old, and actually told me it was one of the best things I did for her. Wow!!! She also just started nursing school! At the time I just knew exactly how important it was for a child to be a child, and the parent to be a parent. Bottom line your the boss, and you know whats best for your child.

Forevergrace

[Carol in Cal.]

DD wants to go to high school, and I don't think that I could do a good enough job at homeschooling high school to be willing to argue the point. If she very much wanted to homeschool through high school, I would figure out a way to do it, but I think that she is really better off in a good school.

 

The trouble is, it's very hard to say which school will be good for her. Around here the public schools are pretty extreme, and the private schools are quite expensive. I plan to keep an eye on the charter schools around here, and go to visiting days at the Catholic high schools as well, and then we'll see. I will discuss the selection of high school with DD, but ultimately that choice is mine.

[forevergrace]

I think you should give yourself more credit, and I bet your a better teacher then you think. However, I sincerely respect your feelings. I also know just how expensive private schools are, w/my first daughter I worked two jobs, while her father was playing in South America.

Forevergrace

[creekland]

We pulled mine out of public school when my oldest reached high school - because I work there and see both what goes on and what doesn't.

 

Mine are academically far ahead and socially just fine. My oldest leaves for college next year.

 

We don't have a 'part time' option here. If we did, I might have chosen that route for a class or two for them.

[Rebecca VA]

That's a question I'm wrestling with for my younger child. She's in seventh grade, so I still have over a year to decide.

 

Our county has a math and science magnet program (it's a two-day-per-week high school) that is highly regarded. It only accepts one out of every six applicants. I think my daughter has a very good chance of being accepted. This would put her on track for an excellent college. A couple of the girls in her school's ballet company have attended the magnet school and done very well.

 

I think she would really enjoy socializing with the other students. She does seem a little lonely at home, and she would be around highly-achieving kids in her math and science studies. However, she would still be in a normal high school for the rest of her work.

 

What I'm trying to do now is prepare her for the entrance exam, just in case she wants to go. Whether we'll go through with it remains to be seen.

 

Here's what I wrestle with: If homeschool is doing such a great job of preparing her, why would I want to give up homeschooling? Once she's in school, we'll never see her. She won't have time to take piano any more. I just don't know if the public schools can offer the tailor-made-for-her opportunities that I can give her at home.

[MIch elle]

but that is each families decision based on many factors.

 

Our ds is attending an excellent Catholic all boys high school.

[danielle]

I've had best results with my dd when I try to work with her, not in opposition to something she really wants. Has he had a chance to do a shadow day--where he follows someone around all day? My dd did this at 3 high schools (1 public, 2 private) and had a good time at the public. Nevertheless, the impact on personal freedom, the lack of interest in the Odyssey class she attended, the noise, and the time she would have had to get up all cemented her initial desire to continue homeschooling.

 

That said, if she had really wanted to go, I would have made some sort of agreement with her--such and such GPA, time spent on IM, time spent on weekends, etc. And I'd only agree on a semester by semester basis--not a whole school year. If you agree to it, it should be a privilege (as is homeschooling), since you are not in favor of it. Better to address your concerns ahead of time, with consequences attached, so the child is on board about what will be expected. I do agree that the parent's judgment is the important thing.

Danielle

[Lizzie in Ma]

Homeschooling was our decision, dc have never been given the option to choose, nor will they be given an option to choose.

[Kareni]

Do you let your child decide whether to go to high school?

 

We did.

 

We began homeschooling in 7th grade when my daughter asked not to return to her 6th grade school. (This was no reflection on the school but rather the hour long commute each way.) We gave her the choice of attending the local middle school or of homeschooling and taking some classes at a homeschooling resource center. As Danielle suggested above, we had her shadow a middle school student for a full day, and she also visited the resource center. She elected to homeschool.

 

In subsequent years, she had free choice. Prior to ninth grade, she visited the local high school and sat in on a couple of classes, took a tour, etc. Prior to 10th grade, she attended an information session for a newly opening charter arts academy. In each case, she continued to choose homeschooling. I will admit that the resource center played a large part in her decision -- initially due to fun offerings such as fencing and ice skating but ultimately due to the fact that she fell in love with Latin which she took there for five years.

 

She is currently a first year college student intending to major in Latin and/or the Classics.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Shawn On the Border]

Thank you for all your responses. They don't allow homeschooled kids to take classes at the high school, unfortunately. There is a charter school that he likes, but it is untested past 9th grade (adding 1 grade/yr). Also, his best friend goes there and he is trouble.

 

We were thinking about a Catholic school. We are not Catholic, but are Christian. The school is predominantly Mexican (80%), with some living in Mexico, and we are Anglo. I don't know how he would fit in. Also, it would be tough financially. I guess we'll have to go visit and have him do a shadow day. Maybe he would like it- right now he isn't that crazy about it since it is all boys.

 

I do have a 5th grader who is liking homeschool for now. Having a teen makes you appreciate younger kids!:)

[kpupg]

Do you think we should allow him to decide?

 

No.

 

You are the parent and a 13yo is still the kid. You need to make the decision, whichever direction that decision may go.

 

Now, I will go on to say this ... if it is open for you in your area, you may find there are particular classes in the school that he would benefit from. I would consider that. It might be a good middle-meeting-ground for all of you.

 

In fact, I am doing that. Our state allows home schoolers to attend any number of classes at public high schools -- I know we are lucky to have that choice, whether we choose to use it or not. My ds14 is taking two classes at the public high school. Classes that I am glad to outsource.

 

However, rather than making more friends or whatnot, he is learning what it means to be part of a regimented institution. He is hearing about the stupidities of the public school students -- fireworks set off in the hall; a feud in which one student put human excrement in another student's backpack; etc. He is learning to speak with adults (teachers) in a more mature way -- he's temperamentally reserved, so this is a good experience for him.

 

Overall, I'm very happy that he is taking these 2 classes at the public school. I feel he's learning some important things (including the academic part!), yet I am still able to influence his culture and world view.

 

HTH and blessings,

Karen

[bugs]

I do think education is a "life" decision. I feel that God has entrusted my children to my care and it is my responsibility to make the big decisions. When they are graduated and out of the house, those kind of decisions will be their own.

 

That being said... In fifth grade my daughter begged me to let her go to public school. I told her if she did go it would be for the year (in my head, unless she had grade or other issues). I let her go to a magnet school that was small. She earned good grades and made nice friends but cried almost everyday for the first semester about having to go. I allowed her this opportunity in 6th grade because the grades, etc. didn't matter. She now knows the grass isn't always greener on the other side and is resolved (at least for now :001_smile:) to staying home for high school.

 

Oh yeah, it was tough helping her at night after I had worked with my son during the day. But then again, I am a morning person.

[TravelingChris]

I have let my two oldest make the decision but that was because they were sensible and were making the decision on the basis of academics and extra-curriculars and not social reasons. I also will let my youngest do the same and will include social for her but only in very specific instances. My dh is AD military and we could get sent to a place with very limited social opportunities for homeschooling like certain overseas areas. If so, we may encourage her to go to a private school since she is our extrovert (there would be no public school option or if so, not one we would care to do). But we would do that if she was isolated and couldn't have social contacts and her extra-curriculars otherwise.

[beezus]

I don't know that I would allow him to make the final decision, but I think he should have some input. As teens move toward adulthood I think it is helpful to work through the life decision-making process with them. If his reasons are purely social, are there any resources in your community for teen after-school activities that he could do? Youth groups of some kind? Community center activities geared toward his age group? I think it is pretty normal for teens to want to seek out friendships with other teens. Public high school isn't the only place for that to happen though. Maybe there are some other alternatives that would answer that need if that is his primary reason.

 

My 7th grader wants to attend public high school and I will probably allow her to do that. She plays violin and wants to be in the orchestra, which is something I can't really create in a homeschooling environment, nor have we been able to find a find another suitable substitute in our community. We've done private lessons, but the violin teacher recommended ensemble playing to help move her on to another level of experience. My kid is also big on the sciences. I could probably handle that part if I needed to, but I think she would do fine in public school. She has a strong sense of herself and is very responsible, with good study habits. I think we would still continue to evaluate and consider whether public school was the best thing for her educationally.

 

I'm not sure there is a single answer to this. People homeschool for different reasons and your local schools may be better or worse than ours. Your son has his own goals too. I just think it is important to start involving him in the process. He may be resentful if he feels that he has no input whatsoever. Just my opinion.

[HollyinNNV]

I do not know about your situation. But, to answer your original question, no. We do not allow our children to decide to quit homeschooling.

[Julie in MN]

I do not know about your situation. But, to answer your original question, no. We do not allow our children to decide to quit homeschooling.

 

:iagree:

 

If I did allow that, then neither of my children would have ever homeschooled.

 

They also would never have eaten vegetables, cleaned their rooms, or written thank you letters :)

 

I tell them that as a mother, it's my job to do the very best thing for my children. They will have a choice when they are the parent, raising their own children, but until then it is up to us.

 

Julie

[Thea]

I'll be the lone dissenter. Yes, I let my dd decide.

 

We sat down with our oldest (currently 15 and a homeschooled sophomore) and went through the pros and cons of each choice.

 

We felt that whatever struggles high school presented that they would be that much easier to deal with if my teen was on board with what she was doing. I wanted her to have some ownership of her education.

 

Just my two cents, fwiw. :001_smile:

[Guest jules4gems]

We allowed my daughter to go to the local public high school in 9th grade, after being homeschooled her whole life. She is the oldest of 4, and the reason we decided to let her go was because I honestly felt that she would probably be more challenged in school. She really wanted to go to a different school district, but the drive was too much, and I thought if she wanted to make new friends, it would be nice to at least make friends in our area. In our homeschool group, most of her friends lived at least 15 minutes away. But also, the girls in our homeschool group were very clicky, so there were few that were real friends anyway. She did well academically, but it was a struggle...there is so much homework, and that was something that we usually didn't have to deal with. She almost came back to homeschooling this year (she is a sophmore now) but decided to stick it out one more year... She is taking 3 honors classes and thinks that she may go to the CC next year. Her younger brother wants to go to the high school next year, but he is getting a real look into all the work (not to mention drama) that goes into high school. He may change his mind....But my kids do realize now that homeschooling is definitely a priveledge. There are so many kids that my daughter goes to school with that think she is lucky she was homeschooled. Most of the kids parents both work, or they are being raised by a single parent, so homeschooling was never an option for them..

[Greensa]

My daughter came home because we watched her become more and more a misfit at school (not socially - she's great at that - but scholastically) and we thought we could do better at home. She was 5th grade.

 

This year we're looking at high school (8th grade). It's hard. She's interested in physics, which I can't do justice at home. She's interested in the local magnet school, which requires full time public school attendance (even though in our area she would only attend it two days/week, the other days are required to be at her "home" high school).

 

After talking it over with my husband, we finally decided that if she gets into the magnet school, then we will deal with the rest of full time school. However, if she doesn't, we will continue to homeschool and find other ways to get her science. She won't have the option of full time at our local school.

 

I'm more confident in my ability to find/make a way to get her the level of science instruction she will need than in the local high school's ability to really teach her the things we want her to learn in high school, academically and non-academically. That's not a slam on the school. We have good schools locally. That's recognizing that the goals of modern school do not necessarily fit with our goals in raising a thinking and considerate member of society. And that doesn't even get in to the joy of seeing her grow and change up close and personal.:001_smile:

 

OK, that's my two cents worth. Let us know what you decide, please, and why.

 

Sara

[justamouse]

My 14 yo share times at tech and everyone there begs her to go full time. Her teachers love her. I say no how, no way. They are not taking all the credit for my sacrifice and hard work. :D

 

Really, no. Her reasons for wanting to go are all wrong. And she's too young to see the benefit of staying the course. Please, the AP English kids are reading The Scarlet Letter AND HAVING TROUBLE WITH IT. A sophomore is taking 1 hour to read 4 pages. Sorry, that is insane. My daughter got teased for using words the other kids didn't know.

 

No thanks, I'll just stay over here putting one foot in front of the other with them.

[Guest ProvidenceMom]

Well I just let my child decide to home school and it seems to me that one has to trust them. School adds important knowledge to a child and it is not just academic. In fact, I could argue that my two older daughters learned despite school! But if your son is ready and wants to go, denying that to him is not a good idea. It is important to stay on top of things daily though - make sure that if he is in school, he communicates about what is going on - that is how a good parent raises her child - not through isolation but by helping him navigate in the world and respecting his choices.

[Cinder]

While we did discuss it with ds, dh and I made the final decision to send him to a small private school. Ds didn't want to go--he preferred homeschool. He liked how much control he had over his time. And we liked the flexible schedule that enabled our family to pursue other activities. But this ds saw us (parents) as his adversaries who Made Him Do School. Ds has high goals but always put up a wall when we tried to instruct/guide him or help him with his work.

 

We looked at all the schooling options. This one seemed to suit his personality and our goals best. Also, the school views the parents as still being the primary mentors of their children. Ds is doing well at this school. He even commented that he noticed he was more inclined to do his school work than he was to do his homeschool work (which he did, but with major grumbling or resistance). He sees us as being on "his side" now.

 

I'm not sure we will make this same decision for younger ds as he has a more easygoing personality. He's more inclined to just "git 'er done." But I wanted to share our experience because it's a little different than what many have posted already.

 

 

Cinder

[Kareni]

While we did discuss it with ds, dh and I made the final decision to send him to a small private school. Ds didn't want to go--he preferred homeschool. He liked how much control he had over his time. And we liked the flexible schedule that enabled our family to pursue other activities. But this ds saw us (parents) as his adversaries who Made Him Do School. Ds has high goals but always put up a wall when we tried to instruct/guide him or help him with his work.

 

...I wanted to share our experience because it's a little different than what many have posted already.

 

I totally understand what you're saying above.

 

One thing I did in the summer before 9th grade was to ask my daughter whether she saw herself going on to college. When she said "Yes," I had her research college requirements for six colleges that sounded appealing to her. This then took the pressure of me in terms of "Making Her Do School" as it now became "The Colleges Require that You Do". For us this was a great help as I'm very much the micro-managing/Sergeant Major type!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[LizzyBee]

We have a good college prep public charter school just 10 minutes away, so I told my oldest that if she got accepted there, she could go back to school. She did get accepted and she loves it. The academics are very good and there are very few discipline problems. I've requested and been granted excused absences occasionally so that she can go on a field trip with us. The administrators and teachers treat parents as parents, not know-nothing idiots.

 

My 8th grader knows that she has the option to attend the same school next year if she gets accepted. She hasn't made that decision yet.

[DianeJM]

If it were just a case of academics I wouldn't be so hesitant, but it is MUCH MORE than that.

 

From my sig line you will see that I have two dd's in public high school, this is the first year for both girls. My college freshman went to public school for the first time in his senior year after home schooling most of his years. DS didn't say much about it when he was there, so we didn't think it was really that bad. But when he went to college in August we were chatting with him on the phone about our decision to send our two girls there and he voiced concern about the girls being there. That surprised us.

 

This is a large school, about 1200 kids, small city, somewhat diverse. Great sports teams, great music program, good honors and AP classes, really great principal.

 

Let me just tell you what I have learned from my girls, I'll just give you a few examples:

 

** A senior boy soccer player goes around bragging about all the freshman girls whose virginity he has taken. My girls don't know him and thankfully he doesn't know them, but they know his hame and that he's on the soccer team.

 

** The majority of students swear like sailors, even in class (even though they get in trouble for swearing in class).

 

** Someone wrote on the bathroom mirror that everyone better run for their lives at a certain time on a certain date, and the police were all over the building that day. The girl who reported this to the office (she didn't do it) was called in for questioning, so she has decided next time to keep quiet and not report things.

 

** One kid was going nuts jumping around and screaming at the top of his lungs in the hallway between classes, causing a scene, and when I asked my dd what he was screaming about, she said he was shouting out all the things he was going to do to a certain girl after school. I asked her what types of things, I was thinking violence, she said, no, sexual things, and in very explicit, as in grotesque, language. She was practically sick to her stomach and she took off as fast as she could to get away. She didn't know if any teachers came out of their rooms to shut this guy up (I would have wanted him expelled but I don't think that's an expellable offense).

 

** I have heard about cutting, anorexia, drugs, horrible family situations, and I saw a girl about 5 months pregnant come out of the building after school and light up a cigarette. My dd says they just made up a rule that you can't take your baby to class with you.

 

This is a WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD!

Am I happy my girls are there? NO!

It was our decision to do public school this year, and the girls were okay with it. Our senior needs some classes I can't do with her before she graduates--she just wants to get those credits and get out. Our sophomore was a bit more willing to go -- she has learning disabilities and we are going through the IEP process to get her into a certain program there because I can't teach her at home any more, it just does not work. Ps was not our first choice (!) but that's what we are doing. I'm hoping that it will strengthen the girls' reliance on God. Of course they will be affected! I pray for them every day.

 

Your ds is younger. My thinking is that he's too young to be put into such a "cesspool of iniquity" (a lovely phrase I heard that applies here just perfectly).

 

I would not send him there just because he wants to go. I'd rather find a co-op or some other way he can get together with kids. He's young, and he sounds impressionable; I'd be concerned.

 

Private schools are really not that much better imo, once you get in there and see what kids are up to, you notice that kids are kids, and their behaviors are there no matter what school they are in. I will say that private schools may be likely to have a better atmosphere, but I still wouldn't call it "good", as in "healthy"!

 

MHO.

Blessings to you as you decide.

[DianeJM]

Please, the AP English kids are reading The Scarlet Letter AND HAVING TROUBLE WITH IT. A sophomore is taking 1 hour to read 4 pages. Sorry, that is insane. My daughter got teased for using words the other kids didn't know. No thanks, I'll just stay over here putting one foot in front of the other with them.

 

That's the other thing!! My senior dd is going to do dual enrollment in community college 2nd semester, primarily because the honors and AP classes she wants are either not available or not a high enough level. (In my post above I said this school has "good honors and AP classes" -- that's the reputation anyway, my dd doesn't think they are such a high level.)

 

Her Honors English 12 class read an easier version of Beowulf than we did with my son in 10th, and they watched "the movie" so that everyone would "get it". The movie, btw, complete with nudity. In class. OK??

 

You can't just take Honors US History II when you want to, like at home!

Duh! Why didn't I think of that earlier!!

So, off she goes to community college. The city pays for up to two classes at cc.

Edited October 22, 2009 by DianeJM
punctuation :)

[FaithHopeLove]

I have a 12 year old ds and sometimes wonder the same thing. He likes being homeschooled so the topic hasn't come up, but I'm sure it will at some point in the future. I do have him in a couple summer/after school sports, we have a good supportive co-op and church and he might try the band next year. We are talking to him and our younger ones that we would like them to be homeschooled until they can do PSEO if we feel the Lord is leading us in that direction. About once a year my DH and I take a few days and pray for direction in this area and talk about each of our childrens different abilities and where we feel the Lord is guiding us to help them excell.

 

I think its good to get a child's input as they grow, but I feel the final decision is yours. If all your ds wants is extra time to socialize then provide some type of outlet for that outside of school.

 

Our local Park and Rec department offers a wide variety of sports and workout programs for our youth. Last summer we paid for him to play baseball (our rule is we pay for one activity during the summer) but he also wanted to do the workout program for boys going into 6th grade -- so since he has his own paper route, he paid for it and biked there and back -- it's about 8 blocks away. I could tell it gave him a sense of independence, responsibility and a good workout that he greatly enjoyed. We also let him ride bike to the library this summer --about 10 blocks away -- and he would spend time there playing chess, checking out books and a little time on the computer. He loved it. Sometimes the rest of us drove there at the same time, but when I realized it was going well he went himself. He always got back in the time that was requested of him. He loves that our trust in him is building. We talk alot about making good decisions, consequences and rewards for actions, etc. Sorry I'm rambling. I'm new to this -- who knew I had so much to say!

[Moni]

Do you think we should allow him to decide?

 

Whether you should is going to be based on your goals, priorities, parenting policies, etc.

"Should" questions beg the question, Should in order to.....what..? ;)

 

Do you let your child decide whether to go to high school?

 

No. :)

 

:seeya:

Edited October 24, 2009 by Moni

[AnitaMcC]

This doesn't really apply at this time for us as we are first time homeschoolers this year with our 9th graders and the kids asked/begged us to homeschool them. It is something they have been wanting for years.

 

But, no, we are not letting our kids decide to go to high school. Our high schools are horrible and the one they are zoned for is the worst in the district because half the kids are bused in from a nearby city and most of these kids are involved in gangs. But the other reason is the academics are poor and the school admitted they would not be able to challenge Ds who is far advanced in math and science while working with his special needs (Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Integration Disorder, ADD). Also the flexibility of homeschooling is very important to us.

 

But we do listen to them and try to find other options for the reasons they would want to go to high school. Right now the main problem we are having is they have not met any other high school homeschoolers. So far all the homeschool groups in the area, the kids are under 13yrs old. My twins want to meet other kids their ages. So I am considering trying to start up a teenage homeschool group. Something for the kids to do for fun.

[Peela]

My 13yo likes to use going to school as a threat...he wants to go to school if we up his workload, or something like that. We called his bluff the other day and told him he could go...but he would still have to do his chores, and he would also have homework of course. He backed down :)