My daughter dropped out of high school at 16. She'll be attending a Big 10 college as a junior at 18.
- My child told me she was quitting high school at 16.
- I let her have her space and made room for her to take a bold step into adulthood.
- My high school is like a hub for substance abuse and underage drinking," she said. "I'm trying to steer clear of trouble.
My 16-year-old daughter walked into the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. "I just sent an email to my principal," she said. "I let her know that it's been a total blast telling her that I've decided not to attend her school anymore."
I tried to keep a neutral face, similar to the one I would wear when -- for a science class presentation -- she'd brought out a leech from a tank in the corner of our living room, which housed three of them, as well as several frog tadpoles and a crayfish.
Overwhelmed by constant social conflicts and classes filled with meaningless tasks.
to study marine biology."
"I'm pleased with that plan," I said, but my mind was racing with questions.
My daughter didn't want to get into trouble at school
My daughter has dropped similar bombshells on me all her life.
As someone with Attention Deficit Disorder, she's faced challenges in traditional classrooms since kindergarten, struggling to focus in a crowded room unless it's absolutely captivating to her.
I chose to leave traditional high school, home-school myself, and attend private schools. This taught me to be flexible and curious rather than rigid and angry. Completing high school, however, took on a completely new meaning.
She looked over my shoulder from the kitchen table and exclaimed, "My high school is full of drugs and drinking. I don't want to get into trouble."
I had concerns about a completely different issue.
"I'm never going to get in trouble for this, right?" I kept asking her college counselor - as if a truant officer might catch my teenager on her way to her cherished marine-biology class and take her back to high school.
She takes her GED exam, which is the equivalent of a high school diploma.
I re-examined my research and found out that my daughter's decision might actually turn out to be a good one.
I read a book titled "The Complete Guide to College Transfer: Find Your Ideal School, Maximize Your Credits, and Earn Your Degree."
"While attending a community college, it not only looks great on a resume, but it can also offer benefits when transferring to partner universities," the book states.
My daughter and I collaborated with her academic advisor to create a two-year plan for earning her associate's degree at the local community college and obtaining her General Education Development (GED) certificate.
However, as a young college student, my teenager was a bit of a fish out of water. Initially, I assisted her in locating her classes, showed her how to email her professors, and broke down her syllabi with her to determine her homework assignments and required textbooks. All of this was only possible due to my flexible work schedule.
Quitting high school was the right decision for me
I'm really sorry my daughter didn't have a similar wonderful experience as yours.
However, various minds require different approaches to learning and education.
Despite my reservations, I gave my daughter the freedom to take a bold step into young adulthood.
She passed her GED exams and plans to transfer to the University of Oregon as a junior next year.
Currently, she wakes up at 9 a.m. and attends classes that she considers important and related to her interests.
She spends lunchtime socializing with her fellow classmates, returns home around mid-afternoon to focus on her studies, and then heads to the dance studio.
At the age of 18 and in her second year of college, she has blossomed into a confident and enthusiastic young woman.
on Microsoft Start.
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