dd in mainstream, begging to go to special.

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I wish you the best of luck if you do decide to home educate. It is hard work but can be very rewarding.

I would definitely suggest that you nuture whatever interest/passion she has. You can build lessons on all types of subjects around that interest.

If you can afford to get her her own horse - do it!

If my DD was your age now I would, without a moment's hesitation, focus on her interest/passion and try to help her eventually build a career around that.

Good for you!! ! I have been pleased to "get my son back" and that's why after never seriously considering homeschooling, I figured out how. No one should have to face the fear our kids have had to endure.

I know you are in the UK, so I'm not suggesting your DD attend this place, but you may want to look at the website for my son's camp. It is based on using horses to teach social skills. There may be some nuggets you can use. We were never horse fans, but working with the horses has done wonders for DS. Even though camp is finished, I have him going weekly as it is so good for him. In fact, we hired the director of the equine therapy piece to be his homeschool coach a few hours per day.

Www.trailstosuccess.com

If that is your daughters special interest, I would nurture that and base homeschooling on it if you can. I would probably start with asking for a written proposal and schedule, outline of costs, all of the necessary research. You would be covering every subject except history, and you could easily add that in if you wanted.

I so sincerely hope this goes well, and congratulate you on a courageous and scary choice. Every child is so different, and as parents we have to dig in and say, "what does THIS one child need?" and then get as close as we can to giving it. I have never home schooled, but I obviously believe there are times it can be the best option, or I would not have posted about it. I really do hope this solution works for all of you, and that your daughter will finally get to blossom.

And if it doesn't .... well, you will know that you did everything, tried all the options, and gave it everything you had. And we'll let you "yell" at us for misleading you, if it makes you feel better

But, I believe from your words that this will work for you. Good luck and best wishes!! !

Good luck, I live in Ireland my son 13yrs just returned to school I have posted a thread regarding it. I am seriously considering homeschooling, but my son doesn't want to. Last year first year in secondary school it was awful he is taking medication for anxiety seems to be helping.

I feel if I home schooled him possibly he might not need medication not sure as he has a few difficulties. But to have to medicate my son to send him to an environment that makes him feel so distress and even at times wanting to end it and hurt himself does not make sense.

I wish you good luck and let us know how you get on, I will only be giving school not much time and if my son reaches those levels of anxiety and stress I will be pulling him out.

Hope it works well for your daughter and your family.

I'm utterly terrified at the prospect of home schooling! I don't know where to start or how to do it. I know in my heart it's the best thing for my daughter, and I know this sounds so so selfish, but I'm a little worried for myself too, as I won't have any time at all to myself. I feel drained and exhausted with all the school problems, and dd drains me too (feel very guilty for admitting that). I need to get my head around what a home school day would entail ,because the last thing I want is for DD to spend all of her home time on the pc,ds or tv! (which would make her very happy! ).
I had to stop work last year due to the school refusal situation( can't be in 2 places at once.....dozens of times), and I guess although I'm not missing that particular job, I am feeling a lack of identity a little.
If I do go ahead and buy the much wanted (and needed) horse, my finances would be stretched to it's limit,with very very little to fall back on.
Oh decisions decisions

Have you joined a forum on-line parents that are doing home schooling, I got so many answer from here that the professionals couldn't give me. I think now they hate seeing me coming because of my extended knowledge from this site.

I joined a home schooling site here in Ireland and lots of parents feel they way you do, I could be one of them if things don't improve. Get all the information you need weigh up the pro's and con's. I am already looking into things having a plan B.

In hindsight, I should've home schooled a long time ago, and like your son,my daughter's had some really horrible effects from anxiety. it's so difficult, as we listen to the 'professional' advice that school offer, plus are 'guided' by medical staff. None of them seem to grasp or really care what a negative impact thier experiences of school are having. I am so fed up (and so is poor dd) of this crap system.
I have emailed a local HS group to find out more about it locally. I'm quite sure that when I get my head around how to do it, we'll take the plunge. I really can't see that dd's feelings will change about school when the environment there will stay the same.
I miss my happy little girl and although I know I have fought like crazy to get the right support and environment, I still feel guilty for not being able as yet to get it right...but there's still time !
I want dd to grow up feeling confident in who she is,and not the person that school life is making her. Could you imagine having to go to work each day and deal with what our children face, from our colleagues in an environment that makes us feel so ill......It's no wonder they feel so trapped and unheard. I've heard about online 'virtual schools' - I'll look into this. i wouldn't have a clue how to prepare a days study, and the appeal of something ready made sounds good I think? Lots to research now!

By and large, professionals in the school system aren't trained to think of homeschooling as an option, and may not even be allowed to mention it. In their world, going to a school in a building is like going to a hospital for medical care ... just how it should be done. But there are exceptions for everything and while their job may not allow for that, ours does.

I'm already forming in my mind what I would want a daily curriculum to look like, if I were in your shoes, starting with a nice morning class scheduled outside of the home to insure *I* didn't stay in my PJ's all day! A piece of the schedule, I think, is going to be what you need to keep yourself on track as her guide. But overall, I would tell her that part of the deal is that she is going to have to show self-motivation and self-discipline, and stick to the guidelines and schedule you establish together for instruction time.

Determine what the minimum standards are that she will need to meet and how she can achieve those. Probably a set curriculum for that is what I would choose in your place.

Determine what enrichment approach would benefit and interest her the most. Project based learning, in the home or out of the home. If I was doing this for my son I'd assign him to finish writing a novel by date X, and set a pace for it, AND ask him to finish a computer programming project by date X. Probably 3 hours of core curriculum in the am, followed by 3 hours of project work in the pm. But that is my child, not yours.

I'd also schedule weekly museum outings or field trips, or even movies; often prompted by what has shown up in the core curriculum; with some sort of research or journal activity connected to it. And I'd find someone for him to do conversational foreign language practice with.

I don't think I'd ever be the instructor, just the reviewer. With help understanding concepts when asked. I know how to do that from years of helping with homework, and years of mentoring people in the work environment.

And so on.

Lol, as if I have any idea on how to do this - I don't! I guess I do like the idea of it But, I think that is how I would start, if it was me.