journey00 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 My 2nd year into our homeschooling journey. My 13 year old dd whines about doing her Math, doing her English....blah blah blah. I work full-time from home, she has 2 siblings that I also homeschool, my extended family completely stressed me out during the holidays so I'm glad the holidays are over, and we just found out that my husband may have some kidney problems...Ugh. Anyway...I'm really considering enrolling her for 8th grade with Mother of Divine Grace so she's accountable to someone else....I don't want to do her lesson planning anymore & she needs to answer to someone else besides me...I'm tired. Yes, she may be acting like this because of puberty or extended family tension or whatever but I think she will try harder for someone else. She does very well with Time4writing classes but disliked Homeschool Connections, she did not like sitting & listening to an hour long lecture. I'm not too happy about adhering to a regular school schedule or someone else's time frame....one of the reasons that attracted me to homeschooling was that we were on our time schedule that fits best with our family. Anyway...can someone tell me if they had a similar problem and how they handled it? Benefits of enrolling with MODG vs just using their syllabus? Were you happy with MODG enrollment & counselor? Thank you for "listening" to me vent. God bless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journey00 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee Pip Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 no answers here, but am interested in replies. my 12yo is like this (ohhh and she's been like this since K...I am sooo tired of the battles). I've been really thinking about outsourcing for her, just to change this one aspect of our relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Same problems with my dd12 here. I am still trying to decide if a curriculum switch would be beneficial for her, or if she would just continue to argue about that, too. I hope someone can give you an answer. Meanwhile, you have my sympathy and my empathy. :bored: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I've got one, too. He's 12. Secretly I'm devastated by his continued apathy, but I've decided this year to stop trying to please him. Its the middle of our summer holidays (and its hot!!!!) and he's just as big a misery-guts while he's not doing school work, so its time to just harden up (me) and suck it up (him). Seriously, its high school and its time for some hard work. The lessons are varied and the content is interesting so if he doesn't like it, tough. Its going to be hard work for me (cos I'm putty in his hands) but I used to be an Army instructor, so hopefully I'm up to it. Maybe I'll sniff some boot polish to get in the right frame of mind...... D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deannajo Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I'm in the same place with my 13dd - like exactly - I also work from home, have two other kids, and am on the verge of enrolling her in the local public school...or SOMETHING - she and I just sat down today because like Deee said above, I'm done trying to find something that engages her or pleases her. I want her to be involved in what we decide to do, and I want to follow her leads all the way, but she doesn't want to do ANYTHING! I don't want her to be miserable, but since she seems determined to be anyway, I told her its time we buckle down...quit curriculum hopping, hoping for that magic cure. I've taken a very relaxed approach to her so far, hoping something would click, but next year is highschool and I'm running out of time with her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Btdt. I enrolled my eldest in a private school at the beginning of 8th. She wanted to go, I was tired of dealing with her. It solved all of our problems. 5 weeks in, I couldn't take it any longer. I realized just how awful it was dealing with the school. I spent longer doing schoolwork with her than hsing required. She became grateful for my help instead of fighting it. I pulled her at 5 weeks. The school didn't understand, after all she had all A's. She was upset because she enjoyed being with kids her own age all day. She was relieved because no one can do schoolwork from 6 or 7 in the morning until midnight and not start cracking in some manner. Her attitude towards schoolwork at home didn't improve much. My attitude in dealing with her changed completely. I became much more relaxed and let her attitude be hers. It was up to her to learn, I could not force feed her. She didn't "live up to her potential" in high school. She has succeeded in college however. It really did not hurt her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misscometa Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I too, like Lolly stop homeschooling, and enroll my ds 12 in PS. I was stressing out with HS, but now I wish I was Homeschooling again...School does not solve this problem, it has made it worse, b/c they basically waste time from 8-3PM and then, come home to do HW. DS has been in MS (7) grd since August, truly considering pulling him out at the end of 7th grade. He loves the socialization, but maybe co op or something where he can interact, don't know....very frustrated, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I'm in the same boat with my 10 yo. I work from home full time and also have 2 other kids. And she has fought me EVERY DAY FROM KINDERGARTEN UNTIL NOW about doing school. She doesn't want to go to public school, and I don't want her to, and I really don't think it would lessen the battles any. I would still be battling her about getting up for school in the morning, doing her homework, going to bed at a decent hour, etc. I have tried letting her have input into choosing curriculum and topics of study, but it is only a temporary fix. Wish I had some answers for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyinthegarden Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 A year and a half ago I enrolled my oldest in public school, it took one quarter to realize how much better homeschooling was for him. They will either love it and want to stay or they will be more miserable there, and maybe appreciate homeschooling. I think sometimes we put to much pressure on ourselves as homeschooling parents, trying be everything all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 journey00 - You might want to try posting with the title, "Mother of Divine Grace input needed" or somesuch. You might get more people who have used MODG. I know some people (not IRL) who love it & some switch away. The Catholic group an hour away has a LOT of people who use it (not sure if they do full enrollment or just syllabus) but they also have a support group of other moms available to borrow materials & form groups for literature discussions and Latin classes, just to name a few. Some kids respond better to outside sources, but it is expensive $$ to outsource everything and hard to go to all-outsourcing all at once. Some parents just outsource the really tough (tough to get along with the kid for those) courses or hard-for-parent-to-teach ones (writing, foreign language, science, etc.). I don't have any answers for you. I wish I did. :grouphug: We have our battles, but overall attitude is improving. (A daily multivitamin + daily "Stress Vit B Complex" have helped my oldest's mood swings. She still has to control her emotions/complaining, but she's SO much better when she has her vitamins, enough sleep, and her tummy is full. See SWB's "Homeschooling the Real Child" mp3 lecture & notes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journey00 Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Wow...misery loves company! LOL :drool: Seriously, it is comforting knowing I'm not alone....maybe it is an age/puberty thing?? I like the suggestions of multi-vitamin, enough sleep, tummy full, enrolling in school (just kidding...no I'm not...ok, partly kidding but I won't really do it). Yes, I have also curriculum hopped to appease her. Thanks for posting that because I was feeling pretty weak so glad to see I'm not alone. ..... I became much more relaxed and let her attitude be hers. It was up to her to learn, I could not force feed her. She didn't "live up to her potential" in high school. She has succeeded in college however. It really did not hurt her. Very well said..."let her attitude be hers." Thanks for sharing. I do feel better & I think all your posts, whether you posted a solution or just empathy, has helped me. Thank you and God bless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I've got one, too. He's 12. Secretly I'm devastated by his continued apathy, but I've decided this year to stop trying to please him. Its the middle of our summer holidays (and its hot!!!!) and he's just as big a misery-guts while he's not doing school work, so its time to just harden up (me) and suck it up (him). Seriously, its high school and its time for some hard work. The lessons are varied and the content is interesting so if he doesn't like it, tough. Its going to be hard work for me (cos I'm putty in his hands) but I used to be an Army instructor, so hopefully I'm up to it. Maybe I'll sniff some boot polish to get in the right frame of mind...... D Bwahaha "devastated by his continued apathy" pretty much sums it up. Hehehe We are considering Calvert with ATS for next year for our apathetic 10yo and I signed him up for T4writing this week. :) He enjoyed reading his teacher's feedback last night. Sorry, I have no information about using MODG's teaching services, but I hope you get some answers. Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Check out American School. They accept 8th grade aged students if you write "N/A homeschooled" when asked to provide proof of graduation from 8th grade. I have nothing but good things to say about American School for my oldest. I get teary eyed just thinking about it. His life would be SO different now if it were not for American School. If ever I was handed a life preserver, it was when AS entered our lives. There is NO one size fits all curriculum. But AS is a godsend, that is very underused, by a lot of families that would benefit from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 We instituted weekly sit downs and monthly/quarterly "parent-teacher conferences". In other words, I sat down with my kid periodically and asked these questions: 1. What have you liked most this month? Least? 2. What could be done to change it to make it more palatable? 3. What would you like to have more time to do? What are you interested in right now? And I got his imput when it was time for new curriculum. If he didn't like the 3 options I chose, it was his responsibility to come back with one that he DID like. Talk to your daughter. Yes, she's a hormonal 13yo (I have the male version here), but she needs to take ownership. It's like the kid whining that they're bored. Every suggestion by mom is met with grumbles because they're focused on being bored and not wanting you to fix it, just complain. Asking them what they plan to do about it puts it back in their lap and pushes them in a positive direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 My best friend uses MODG and loves it. She has used it for all 6 kids and has graduated 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in MO Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I had the same problem with my oldest. I sent him to participate in a few classes in public school to try to help solve the problem. Sadly, It didn't help, it made things worse. The standards of the school teachers weren't the same as mine. He shined in class, but didn't have to do much to succeed. He even learned that because he was "smart", he didn't have to adhere to the tardy rules. He was late 28 times for class and it was overlooked (He should have had an after-school suspension after being tardy three times.) What I think would have worked better for him and has worked wonderfully with my other children is a one day a week accountability/instructional/motivational program. We started with Classical Conversations and now we participate in another group of families with a like mindset. I tutor the high school class. I like that my children are motivated to complete their work so that they can present it in class in front of their peers. They learn much more then they would at home because we come together and discuss the material. They start to realize that other people have great ideas too and they don't know it all. Books are discussed in class and they are able to come to conclusions that they could have never arrived at on their own. We do this with every subject, but if you could do this with even a class or two it might help. Blessings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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