Homeschool World Forum

I realize that this is not an easy topic for discussion, but we have home schooled our son after removing him from private school. His grades were below C level in private school, and have slightly improved in the intervening years, until now. He has never been a willing student of anything, and now that he's approaching his senior year, he has taken it a step further by doing absolutely nothing.

He's a happy kid but a totally unwilling one. We have taken him to counselling. We have tried rewards, bribes, punishment, consequences, removal of privileges, praise, give encouragement, leaving him alone - in short, the gamut of tricks. We have attempted to let him know that not going to college is OK if he doesn't want to go in that direction, and we won't close the door to college either. We have attempted to steer him in the direction that he has kind of expressed an interest in. So far nothing inspires him or motivates him. He definitely isn't depressed.

I must admit to a bit of lost patience with him. We are reluctantly planning to end the homeschooling experiment and send him to the local public school until he finishes his academic career.

How well do high school kids do when placed in public school after several years of home school? Is there much of an adjustment? Is this a worthwhile idea?

I would appreciate your thoughts in this matter.

It may be a good shock to him. Let him know that this is his decision. If he is unwilling to learn anything at home, and give him the option of getting a job or learning a trade, then he can go back to the school system. He may not realize how easy he has it. The school year can't have much left to it though, so it might be ok to just let him get a job and study for his GED. He is old enough to start making decisions on his own, for the good or bad, he has to learn for himself, you can't always be there to save him.

If I were in your place, I might re-evaluate my expectations. Perhaps find out where he sees his future going. Have him take stock of his goals. If a GED would be a good answer for him, I agree with the above posters. He can still go to college if he wants with a GED. Also, a job might give him a sample of what to expect later in life.

Overall, you can't force someone to have an interest when they have no desire to learn. The only person you can change is you.

Sheila