A few words from a "non-unschooler"
Charisse Sylvester
Hi!
I have been reading your list with great interest. I
am currently homeschooling my bipolar 14 year old
daughter. She was diagnosed as bipolar a day before
she started high school, and was pretty much crucified
by the 6 weeks or so that she attended high school,
before we pulled her out. She was a basket case when
we started to homeschool her and I decided to let the
poor kid "deschool". My plan was to eventually go to a
school at home approach but I didn't have the heart to
do that until she recovered.
Deschooling has been pretty cool. She has read up on
such subjects as true crime, Andy Warhol, Marilyn
Monroe [ a curvy, blond, blue eyed, left handed,
bipolar female, much like my daughter]. We both
enjoyed reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" together and
loved it. I occasionally assign her something vaguely
academic and it goes over like a lead ballon. I am
convinced she learns best what she chooses to learn..
Our family setting is not great for unschooling. My 2
older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as spoilt
rotten. We have not done much with the local
homeschoolers who tend to have younger kids and are
quite religious. I guess I'm not sure to where to go
from here with her homeschooling.
Has anyone else been in my sitaution? A mentally ill
teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.
Charisse
__________________________________
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I have been reading your list with great interest. I
am currently homeschooling my bipolar 14 year old
daughter. She was diagnosed as bipolar a day before
she started high school, and was pretty much crucified
by the 6 weeks or so that she attended high school,
before we pulled her out. She was a basket case when
we started to homeschool her and I decided to let the
poor kid "deschool". My plan was to eventually go to a
school at home approach but I didn't have the heart to
do that until she recovered.
Deschooling has been pretty cool. She has read up on
such subjects as true crime, Andy Warhol, Marilyn
Monroe [ a curvy, blond, blue eyed, left handed,
bipolar female, much like my daughter]. We both
enjoyed reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" together and
loved it. I occasionally assign her something vaguely
academic and it goes over like a lead ballon. I am
convinced she learns best what she chooses to learn..
Our family setting is not great for unschooling. My 2
older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as spoilt
rotten. We have not done much with the local
homeschoolers who tend to have younger kids and are
quite religious. I guess I'm not sure to where to go
from here with her homeschooling.
Has anyone else been in my sitaution? A mentally ill
teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.
Charisse
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/
Pam Sorooshian
On Mar 15, 2005, at 6:27 AM, Charisse Sylvester wrote:
If so - unschooling/homeschooling groups do tend to be pretty tolerant
of kids with "quirks" - IF you can find such a group.
Otherwise - I'd think your best bet would be to explore her own
interests and make contacts based on those interests, rather than
trying to find homeschoolers, specifically.
-pam
> Has anyone else been in my sitaution? A mentally illIs she well enough to BE part of a group? To make friends?
> teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.
If so - unschooling/homeschooling groups do tend to be pretty tolerant
of kids with "quirks" - IF you can find such a group.
Otherwise - I'd think your best bet would be to explore her own
interests and make contacts based on those interests, rather than
trying to find homeschoolers, specifically.
-pam
Elizabeth Hill
**My 2 older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as spoilt rotten. **
Can you do some extra-nice things for them occasionally, even if they don't live at home any more? Give them a little more "spoiling", so they aren't so jealous of what she gets? (I'm vague about the older kids ages. Are they adults now, or still in school?)
And can you apologize for sending them to high school? (Seriously). Tell them you think that school is an unpleasant waste of time and that you are sorry they had to go through it?
Betsy
PS Some kids who are miserable in high school kill themselves. My husband and I both thought about it around age 15. Some of the hormones at that age can be terrifically hard to cope with. Suicide-prevention is just ONE good reason to homeschool, and one I would think your husband might support. We can offer a hundred other reasons, I bet.
Can you do some extra-nice things for them occasionally, even if they don't live at home any more? Give them a little more "spoiling", so they aren't so jealous of what she gets? (I'm vague about the older kids ages. Are they adults now, or still in school?)
And can you apologize for sending them to high school? (Seriously). Tell them you think that school is an unpleasant waste of time and that you are sorry they had to go through it?
Betsy
PS Some kids who are miserable in high school kill themselves. My husband and I both thought about it around age 15. Some of the hormones at that age can be terrifically hard to cope with. Suicide-prevention is just ONE good reason to homeschool, and one I would think your husband might support. We can offer a hundred other reasons, I bet.
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/15/05 9:07:11 AM, ecsamhill@... writes:
<< Some kids who are miserable in high school kill themselves. >>
One of my friends did in Jr. High (9th grade, high school age in some places)
and one in 10th (high school).
-=-**My 2 older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as spoilt rotten. **-=-
Maybe get some brochures for resident treatment places (WITH the rates) and
ask the all if they think that would be better. Going to school and being a
model cheerleader doesn't seem to be the alternative. So your alternative is
fantastic, and it's not about them.
I concur on the apology being a possible idea. Run through a little fantasy
scenario of how cool it would've been if you'd all homeschooled ten years ago,
and smile real big.
Sandra
<< Some kids who are miserable in high school kill themselves. >>
One of my friends did in Jr. High (9th grade, high school age in some places)
and one in 10th (high school).
-=-**My 2 older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as spoilt rotten. **-=-
Maybe get some brochures for resident treatment places (WITH the rates) and
ask the all if they think that would be better. Going to school and being a
model cheerleader doesn't seem to be the alternative. So your alternative is
fantastic, and it's not about them.
I concur on the apology being a possible idea. Run through a little fantasy
scenario of how cool it would've been if you'd all homeschooled ten years ago,
and smile real big.
Sandra
Robyn Coburn
<<<<< A mentally ill
teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.>>>>>
You may find some value in Anne Ohman's non-typical children list
ShineWithUnschooling at Yahoo groups.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShineWithUnschooling
There are also special needs and dealing with reluctant family boards at
www.unschooling.com and www.unschooling.info/forum
Robyn L. Coburn
--
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teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.>>>>>
You may find some value in Anne Ohman's non-typical children list
ShineWithUnschooling at Yahoo groups.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShineWithUnschooling
There are also special needs and dealing with reluctant family boards at
www.unschooling.com and www.unschooling.info/forum
Robyn L. Coburn
--
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Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.2 - Release Date: 3/11/2005
Charisse Sylvester
Thanks, Robyn. I was actually a member of this group
for a while, but had to "Unsub" because I just didn't
have time to keep up with the number of e-mails that
that group generated. They are a very active group!
Charisse
--- Robyn Coburn <dezigna@...> wrote:
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Make Yahoo! your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
for a while, but had to "Unsub" because I just didn't
have time to keep up with the number of e-mails that
that group generated. They are a very active group!
Charisse
--- Robyn Coburn <dezigna@...> wrote:
>http://us.click.yahoo.com/h8TXDC/6WnJAA/HwKMAA/0xXolB/TM
> <<<<< A mentally ill
> teen and a hostil family? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.>>>>>
>
> You may find some value in Anne Ohman's non-typical
> children list
> ShineWithUnschooling at Yahoo groups.
>
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShineWithUnschooling
>
> There are also special needs and dealing with
> reluctant family boards at
> www.unschooling.com and www.unschooling.info/forum
>
>
> Robyn L. Coburn
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.2 - Release
> Date: 3/11/2005
>
>
>
>
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Charisse Sylvester
I'm afraid that apologizing to my older kids would not
be of much use. I have a 20 year old son who remembers
his high school days fondly. He attended a local fine
arts charter school and did spendidly. He got good
grades and was known as a very talented writer. Now,
as a college sophmore at a Big Ten campus he is
struggling to find his niche.
My 17 year old daughter simply shines at high school.
She gets good grades, has tons of friends, does
sports, band, gets awards on a regular basis, the
whole nine yards. On the whole, she is a good sister
to AnnaClaire. It is a sore point for her that she has
to work so hard [i.e. staying up late nights in order
to "cram"], while her sister doesn't.
The biggest problem is my husband. As the son of a
former school teacher and college professor, he has
some heavy duty philosophical problems with this whole
Unschooling concept. He agrees with homeschooling, but
would be a whole lot happier if she spent her time
writing papers, learning Latin,etc He is also
struggling with some health issues [diabetes,
depression, high blood pressure] and not always a
patient man. The truth is that the my beloved husband
and youngest child get on each other's nerves. He gets
to spend less time alone with me because she is always
around which is a sore spot. He is concerned that she
"always gets her own way". His older brother had some
serious problems with mental illness and kind of ran
the family because everyone tiptoed around the guy. My
older sister had some very heavy duty mental health
problems and died as the result of suicide-her illness
may have contributed to my folks breaking up.He
doesn't want AnnaClaire to come betwen the two us. I'm
sorry to be so long winded-it's just that families are
complicated and both mental illness and homeschooling
force people to think long and hard about priorites.
I think maybe I'd better get back to lurking...
Thanks again for your thoughts!
Charisse
--- Elizabeth Hill <ecsamhill@...> wrote:
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
be of much use. I have a 20 year old son who remembers
his high school days fondly. He attended a local fine
arts charter school and did spendidly. He got good
grades and was known as a very talented writer. Now,
as a college sophmore at a Big Ten campus he is
struggling to find his niche.
My 17 year old daughter simply shines at high school.
She gets good grades, has tons of friends, does
sports, band, gets awards on a regular basis, the
whole nine yards. On the whole, she is a good sister
to AnnaClaire. It is a sore point for her that she has
to work so hard [i.e. staying up late nights in order
to "cram"], while her sister doesn't.
The biggest problem is my husband. As the son of a
former school teacher and college professor, he has
some heavy duty philosophical problems with this whole
Unschooling concept. He agrees with homeschooling, but
would be a whole lot happier if she spent her time
writing papers, learning Latin,etc He is also
struggling with some health issues [diabetes,
depression, high blood pressure] and not always a
patient man. The truth is that the my beloved husband
and youngest child get on each other's nerves. He gets
to spend less time alone with me because she is always
around which is a sore spot. He is concerned that she
"always gets her own way". His older brother had some
serious problems with mental illness and kind of ran
the family because everyone tiptoed around the guy. My
older sister had some very heavy duty mental health
problems and died as the result of suicide-her illness
may have contributed to my folks breaking up.He
doesn't want AnnaClaire to come betwen the two us. I'm
sorry to be so long winded-it's just that families are
complicated and both mental illness and homeschooling
force people to think long and hard about priorites.
I think maybe I'd better get back to lurking...
Thanks again for your thoughts!
Charisse
--- Elizabeth Hill <ecsamhill@...> wrote:
> **My 2 older kids and my husband see AnnaClaire as__________________________________
> spoilt rotten. **
>
> Can you do some extra-nice things for them
> occasionally, even if they don't live at home any
> more? Give them a little more "spoiling", so they
> aren't so jealous of what she gets? (I'm vague
> about the older kids ages. Are they adults now, or
> still in school?)
>
> And can you apologize for sending them to high
> school? (Seriously). Tell them you think that
> school is an unpleasant waste of time and that you
> are sorry they had to go through it?
>
> Betsy
>
> PS Some kids who are miserable in high school kill
> themselves. My husband and I both thought about it
> around age 15. Some of the hormones at that age can
> be terrifically hard to cope with.
> Suicide-prevention is just ONE good reason to
> homeschool, and one I would think your husband might
> support. We can offer a hundred other reasons, I
> bet.
>
>
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.
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