Daughter's Anxiety

[DebbS]

My 12 year old daughter is working about 2 years ahead in most subject areas. In a discussion with her about how much of her coursework that she completed this year can be counted as highschool, I mentioned that she could probably graduate at 16. She said "I don't want to go to college at 16." I assured her that we could do a number of things - even if just holding off graduation for another year and doing more coursework or letting her spend a year working on or apprenticing in art which is her major area of interest.

 

What do your children plan on doing if they finish their coursework early?

[higginszoo]

My not quite 12 year old's current plan is to go to culinary school. He'll be completing his first 5 high school credits, hopefully before his birthday (the day he leaves for camp), and only needs 17.5 credits to graduate. He could have those by the time he's 15, easily.

 

When I look back to what he was like at 9, I realize that there's no way to predict what he's going to be ready for at 15, so we're not making concrete plans just yet.

 

I'm fine with him continuing to rack up high school credits if he's not ready to go on to college.

Many (most) high school students around here do dual enrollment at the community college at 16 and 17. I'd be willing to let him start at 14 or 15 if he wants to. There's a major university downtown if he's really ready then. There's also a program at a university in a city about 4 hours away that's designed specifically for 16-17 year olds who are ready to move on to college work where they're in a dorm together with specialized services based on their age.

Right now, his plan is to graduate at 16 or 17 and go to culinary school in town. He's interested in cooking, and is thinking that having a trade will allow better paying jobs when he actually starts working toward a 4 year degree. But then he has those days when he wavers and decides that he would rather just stay home and do high school work.

I just try to remind him that he has a few years before any decisions need to be made, and everything we're doing now is just to keep his options open for when he gets to that point.

[8filltheheart]

My 12 year old daughter is working about 2 years ahead in most subject areas. In a discussion with her about how much of her coursework that she completed this year can be counted as highschool, I mentioned that she could probably graduate at 16. She said "I don't want to go to college at 16." I assured her that we could do a number of things - even if just holding off graduation for another year and doing more coursework or letting her spend a year working on or apprenticing in art which is her major area of interest.

 

What do your children plan on doing if they finish their coursework early?

 

It is really a very personal family decision as to what you want for your child.

 

I won't let my kids graduate early b/c I value childhood. ;) I just keep giving mine more. I honestly don't believe kids "finish", they simply have the opportunity for greater exploration.

 

Funny, my 16 yod asked me a few weeks ago if she could have a 5th yr of high school b/c there are just too many interesting things she wants to study and she doesn't like having to eliminate so many of them!

[In The Great White North]

What do your children plan on doing if they finish their coursework early?

 

There's no set "coursework" - they can add whatever interests them.

 

Ds - more computers and politics (I' don't think either ever end)

 

Dd(1) - more languages (Can one learn too many?)

 

Dd(2) - ? - she's only in 7th so she has awhile to find her interests

[AHASRADA]

I graduated at 16 (from public HS), but wasn't sure what I wanted to do yet. I went to France for the summer, then worked full-time as a receptionist, spent quality time with grandparents, visited distant relatives I barely knew to reconnect, and went on a wonderful road trip with my mom.

 

By the end of that year, I had decided what I wanted to be (foreign language teacher), and began college with the rest of my class (who had been stuck in HS that year, hehe!)

 

If your dd would like to work through more curriculum, great. Otherwise, she could gain some work experience, volunteer/mentoring, travel, etc. If there was ever anything she wished she had time to do, that would be the time to do it.

[Tracy]

One of the things that got me interested in homeschooling was when I met a 16yo homeschooled girl who was a legal secretary. I quit my job and so don't know what she did after. But I thought it was such a great opportunity for a 16yo, as no high school student could have such a job.

[DebbS]

Thanks for all of the feedback...it has been encouraging for my daughter to learn what other people are doing.

[dslittle]

My not quite 12 year old's current plan is to go to culinary school. He'll be completing his first 5 high school credits, hopefully before his birthday (the day he leaves for camp), and only needs 17.5 credits to graduate. He could have those by the time he's 15, easily.

 

When I look back to what he was like at 9, I realize that there's no way to predict what he's going to be ready for at 15, so we're not making concrete plans just yet.

 

I'm fine with him continuing to rack up high school credits if he's not ready to go on to college.

Many (most) high school students around here do dual enrollment at the community college at 16 and 17. I'd be willing to let him start at 14 or 15 if he wants to. There's a major university downtown if he's really ready then. There's also a program at a university in a city about 4 hours away that's designed specifically for 16-17 year olds who are ready to move on to college work where they're in a dorm together with specialized services based on their age.

Right now, his plan is to graduate at 16 or 17 and go to culinary school in town. He's interested in cooking, and is thinking that having a trade will allow better paying jobs when he actually starts working toward a 4 year degree. But then he has those days when he wavers and decides that he would rather just stay home and do high school work.

I just try to remind him that he has a few years before any decisions need to be made, and everything we're doing now is just to keep his options open for when he gets to that point.

Excellent idea - having him learn a trade like cooking before college - so he can have a "real" job while in college - I never thought about that...

[Alphabetika]

My dd is not going to graduate early, but she doesn't want to go to four-year college right away. She would like to take a gap year to travel, but she recognizes that it's not financially realistic. So she is seriously considering becoming an EMT. She ultimately wants to do missions and youth ministry work, and she believes that having medical skills will help her in being available as a missionary. But she's also just attracted to (as she puts it) the high-pressure environment of EMT work. She is hoping to begin taking classes for this at a JC in her senior year.

 

So, another vote for "doing something practical" while waiting for college.

[dslittle]

Awesome! Another great idea that I never thought of before. Any other ideas for practical training before college. I love the thought of EMT training for use in later mission field work. Do you know what and how long EMT training is?

[Chaqar]

:bigear:

[justasque]

There are some excellent podcasts about EMT work, as well as EMT continuing education lectures, which would be a great way to get a head start on coursework as well as get a sense of whether the work would be of interest. Just go to iTunes and search the podcast section for "EMS". There are some from Albany Medical Center, one called EMS Garage, and a ton of others. You'll also get a sense of the profession and its rewards and challenges. "Blood Sweat and Tea" is a recent non-fiction book written by an EMS blogger; it's available free on the web.

[rwjx2khsmj]

My dd13 wants to go to cosmetology school and learn how to do hair and nails. Our local high school has a tech program that she can attend as a homeschooler with only book expenses for us. She'll do that when she's 15-17.

 

Her current plan is to get her stylist license and pay for her way through college by cutting hair and doing nails. I think it's a great plan.