Homeschooling

Hi I removed my now 16.5 daughter from Middle school at the age of 12, When I had her tested for plcement her Class A Public school had managed deliver a 7th grader with a 3rd grade education. We began working from there. and currently she is about 7th grade in most subjects. a little below in reading and above in science.

My question is this, she is almost 17 and according to grade level she is at a 7th grade level, Technically she should be preparing to graduate high school and enter college.
There are a lot of reasons I have started feeling concern about this , I am concerned about her not getting to college for many years yet and Then there is the concern about her losing her insurance when she is 19 because she isn't a full time college student.

I have considered having her take a course to complete study for a GED. To complicate matters more I had an unexpected preganancy and now have an infant at home making all this more difficult.

I take heart in knowing that I have brought her this far but I felle like I am failing her and I just don't know what to do She does have some special needs she has tourettes syndrome. Attention is a factor and she is a bit immature for her age, which is a bit refreshing since most of the 16 year olds I've met from public school seem to be 16 going on 30 She is a beautiful loving smart kid and I feel like I'm failing her terribly. Any suggestions

Oh my goodness...I don't see you as having failed her at all!  I mean, you've brought her up 4 grade levels in 4 years...w/ the school's track record it's doubtful that that would have happened.  Plus, you're raising what sounds like a delightful teen, who ISN'T 16 going on 30.  There's something to be said for that, in this day and age!

How does SHE feel about her educational status?  Would she object to high school taking a bit longer?  What are her educational goals?  As in, does she need a "rigorous" high school curric w/ all of the really hard math and science "college prep" classes?  Or would her career goals be achievable with a good rounded education but not an in-depth one?  Can you dual enroll her at a community college for some of the science and math classes, thereby earning her college credit while you also give her high school credit?  And, with her special needs, would insurance keep her on longer because of the fact that she got messed up and behind in school?  (Might be worth starting to pursue that now before she gets to 19, right?)

I don't know that there's a "right" or "wrong" answer, but I think that together, you and she can come up with a plan that will work!  We're here for you to bounce ideas off of, ok?

Thank you so much for that, I know all these things to be true it gets really hard being the only person I know homeschooling etc. I feel a lot of pressure to measure up. I know that she gets worried about where her life will be going. I don't see her nor do I think she sees herself in some type of position requiring higher math and science. She is drawn more to creative things We were talking the other day about what she'd want and she liked the idea of a business degree with a minor in fine arts or special training in design etc. I agree that this would give her many options. I just worry about how she's ever going to get there. Her medical expenses although not devasting are conisderably more than an average 16 year old so insurance will be a great help.

The thing that really sticks in my craw is when other mothers start questioning me about homeschooling, from a judgemental position, they make comments about how will she ever get into college, That she will be "left behind" when her peers graduate high school and go off to college. I worry about that to . We do trade off alot of social "stuff" because of the choice to homeschool and it isn't easy for her when she sees her friends doing these things. Of course none of these mothers want to hear that the average High Schooler graduates with a 7th grade education so technically she is right up there with them and will surpass them when she finishes the next 5 years. I have been considering enrolling her one of the distance learning High Schools to take the pressure of a little for me.
Do you know anything good or bad about these schools?

In reality is she doesnt start college until she is 20 the world won't end she will most likely have a better sense of herself and make a better career choice and be a more dedicated student by waiting.
I keep telling her and myself that the playing field levels once you hit your twenties.
Thanks for talking me down sometimes I feel like I'm doing it all wrong.

You know, the college I went to as an 18 year old had an average freshman age of 26. There were a LOT of adults going to college. And they had a huge advantage of life experience and self awareness. I don't think there's any particular benefit to attending college at a younger age, and plenty to be said for delaying a bit. If you can manage the health insurance part then I think she will be in a perfect position for college in five years, and probably more certain of herself and more apt to know what she needs to get from the experience (compared to those who go to college to drink and party).

You have done more in the past four years than PS did in the seven or eight they had her for! I expect the next five will be just as productive. I have heard good things about some of the distance learning programs but we're so far from that still that I've never written down the names... I'm sure some of the moms of older kids here will be able to help you on that one. One thing that comes to mind is that if your insurance requires that she's a full time student, that sort of program might serve to convince the company better than homeschooling with another curriculum, kwim?

I just remembered something that might be useful here on the insurance front. She may be covered for the whole year that she turns 19. I know I was. I had graduated college, living on my own in NC. I went to visit my folks in VA and got sick, sick, sick. I could not drive home to NC and stayed over and went to my "oild" doctor in VA and was still covered through the insurance I had through my dad even though I had graduated college - no longer a "full time college student". So looking at it that way, maybe you have until open enrollment time period (it's Nov for us) to prove that she will be a full time college student for January? So that may give you 3 whole years? I don't know, it's a thought anyway.

Cheryl