Newly Home-Schooled Teenager = Frustration

If you want give yourself the ultimate test of patience, home school your teenager that has been in regular school all their life! My oldest daughter asked to be in virtual school to get caught up and placed in her correct grade. I made the mistake of making a deal with her and underestimating her. Basically I lost!

notalwayslearning.com

So, Kailah was not my first test of patience. Instead it was actually getting her enrolled. It is a lot of hoop jumping. I probably could join the circus now will all that training. :P The person at the district is not easy to work with and I was warned of that, but still tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. The actual enrollment into virtual school is not quite user friendly either, but Tech support came through in the end. Whew!

Now, she is officially home-schooled, but she is like a lost little lamb. I do not know how teachers do their job. I have explained a few times what she needs to do to get started and she just does not understand. Kailah is so used to teachers at school I guess, and I am mom who just says "do this and be done."

As I type this she is avoiding me, sitting in her room. She does not want to call her teacher (1 of 4 that she has to contact) and I think she is just burnt out and the newness already wore off. This is why I started her early in case it is all too much for her. I know her well enough to know she will either succeed or fail. There is no middle ground for her. But it will entirely up to her to make that choice.

So some people reading this are probably wondering why we are putting ourselves through this. Well, Kailah was held back in the 3rd grade (wrongfully in my opinion) and she wants to be where she is supposed to be. She is bored in class and hates being questioned about being in the same grade as Kairah. I know that sounds stupid to some, but it is a distraction.

I have had a few school people (that's what I will call them) tell me there is no way anyone can get two grades done in 1 year. I say "oh really? I did it." This is why I know my daughter can do it. She will have her moment of "I give up" but she is capable and hopefully keeps her eye on the prize. I don't know how many times I said "eff it" my senior year while going to regular school and completing extra course work to graduate. I did it! I graduated on time without going to alternative school. She can too...but the real question is will we hate each other by the end or have a stronger bond? I hope its the latter.