Starting brick and mortar high school

[teachermom2834]

I’ve mentioned several times here before but my dd (the last one of four and the only still at home) is headed to private school next year for 9th. I’ve know this was a possibility for awhile and it’s been decided for a few months. I pretty much feel a little sad but mostly comfortable that it is the best decision and appropriate for her. 
 

However. Today I am totally FREAKING OUT. 

That’s all. Just had to tell someone and figured telling dd was probably not the best idea. 

[fairfarmhand]

You know this:

It will be okay.

If your dd wasn't ready for this, you wouldn't have signed her up for it. I understand the jitters, but it will be ok.

[Laura Corin]

It was really hard to do this, but you know your DD and know if this is the right thing.

[Night Elf]

When my youngest child decided to go to a B&M public high school I was disappointed. We had such a special bond and I was going to miss hanging out with him a lot. I also worried if they would give him a better education than I could give to him. But I kept my worries to myself. Then the night before school started, I broke out in hives. Literally. I had to go to the urgent care clinic and get meds. It was awful! However, despite my worries, he maintained a 4.0 GPA in school and got into an excellent college where he is now working on his Masters degree and has his application in to continue attending for a PhD. I choose to believe that the time he spent at home helped him be as successful as he is now. 

[SounderChick]

It will be okay we had several minor freak outs.  When ODD started high school. It's been overall great she'sade friends easily. She is on honor roll getting A's in English which was her worst subject at home and that I was sure she was so far behind on. 

[teachermom2834]

Thanks everyone. We passed the first freak out hurdle with the entrance exam. She was nervous and I assured her everyone gets in and it is only for placement (which is true). I haven't done any testing with her and she didn't know anyone but overall we felt fine about it. Then on her break she sends me a text in all caps. "I have to write an essay about how I would improve the school cafeteria experience. Pretty hard when I've never eaten in a school cafeteria." Followed by "The teacher had to stop to explain to me how to fill out all these bubble things on the test."  (How did I forget to explain the bubble sheet? This is why I need to be done homeschooling I guess. I never would have forgotten that detail with my older kids).

She is very excited and really wants to go. And she is a good student. I do remind myself I do know how to homeschool and if we had to backtrack and change direction we could. 

[Insertcreativenamehere]

I felt the same this past fall. My second-oldest son, who has been homeschooled since 1st grade, started 9th grade at a private high school. It was hard for me but he is doing remarkably well and has adjusted beautifully.

My oldest son was only homeschooled from 3rd-7th grades and I did feel sad when he asked to return to public school in 8th grade. It didn't go particularly well and that is what led to us to the private high school they both now attend.

Now my current 6th grader is headed to school in the fall and that will be the end of our homeschooling. Theoretically, this makes me sad; it's the end of an era. But I would send her to school today if I could. She's not easy to homeschool -- lots of pre-teen attitude, everything is boring, tries to get away with doing the absolute minimum, etc. So I will be glad to be done homeschooling her but sad that homeschooling in general will be over for me. 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Insertcreativenamehere

[theelfqueen]

My youngest is starting full time DE at the local College this fall. We were going over our lesson plans today and we have 45 more school days of Homeschooling.  ACK. 

SO, I am with you!! 

[catz]

The thing I always told myself when making a big change in trajectory is nothing is written in stone.  It's not working out?  You can make a change.  If you have a teen motivated to be successful in school, there is a very good chance they will love and it be successful.  Good luck!  

My youngest transitioned to full time DE this year which hasn't been quite as big of change (we've always done plenty of outsourcing at this level it's more outside accountability).  It's been great though, more than ready.  

[fairfarmhand]

Also, I’m enrolling my ds14 in our county virtual school. Teaching is pretty much done for me by the fall, though with his EF issues, I probably will need to be on standby as a support person for a semester or two until he gets the hang of itZ

[kbutton]

I'll have a 9th grader in a private school next year also. They do a lot of group work, integrate language arts and history, and they have multi-age classes when it makes sense. The high school director is a former homeschooler (all the way through--the high school didn't exist when her kids were that age). I am a little nervous, but I think he's going to love it. 

[*****]

4 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

Then on her break she sends me a text in all caps. "I have to write an essay about how I would improve the school cafeteria experience. Pretty hard when I've never eaten in a school cafeteria." Followed by "The teacher had to stop to explain to me how to fill out all these bubble things on the test."  (How did I forget to explain the bubble sheet? This is why I need to be done homeschooling I guess. I never would have forgotten that detail with my older kids).

But...this will be something you 2 will laugh about in the future...hey Mom, remember when?  Thanks for teaching me how to do that (not)!!

Mine still remind me that their college friends tease them because they never got to watch  ___________.  (We mostly watched PBS or got movies from the library, so they feel so deprived!)