Well, the daughter is graduating from college tomorrow. No small feat considering she dropped out of high school for 3 years and graduated from college in 4. Okay, so she was learning during those years she chose not to go to public school. She actually got her high school diploma by working on courses and taking tests online through a fully accredited program. But she was her own teacher during that time. The courses she liked, she would get through in two weeks. The ones she didn't would take her 2 or 3 months. In all it took her about 2 1/2 years to complete. After receiving her diploma she decided to do a senior year at the local high school just to get back into the classroom and enter the social scene. The school was very cooperative in allowing her to do this and she did very well there. She was about 1/2 way through the year when she started thinking about colleges other than a nearby junior college. She took the ACT and got a decent score and ended up being accepted to a nice Midwestern private college. And 4 years later (has it been that long!) here we are.
I wouldn't advise every kid to drop out of public school. In fact, most of them are probably better off there. Our girl, however, was always a little behind her age in social development and very shy outside our small circle of family and friends. I was so worried she would drop through the cracks socially or be drawn to the wrong crowds. She was perfectly content to stay at home for those years and develop and learn at her own pace. Luckily we live in a state where we could just declare ourselves a private school and we didn't have to contend with the truant officer. Not everyone thought it was a good idea, however. But some of those folks will be attending her graduation this weekend.
No she doesn't have a job and she'll be coming home to live in a house that has spent most of the last 4 years as an empty nest. But she's got a college degree and has spent 3 months in Eastern Asia. She's upbeat, self assured, interesting, and educated. Her dad and I really wish some of her former teachers could be there on Sunday. From her 1st grade teacher who complained that she was too messy and forgetful to her 4th and 6th grade teachers who wanted her diagnosed with ADD. It would be so nice to say, SEE!, See what my baby did!
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