Scared Straight

We have had a little bit of a rocky week of home schooling. I was sick last week and we were behind in our schedule. Last week Maddy didn't complete any work, and was starting this week off in the same manner. By Thursday when I came out of my room and saw her playing Just Dance on the wii, I had had it! I calmly announced that I would be enrolling her in our local middle school in the morning. If she wouldn't do her work for me then she could do it for them. They could keep her in a room, at a desk, and let her know when she could break for drinks and restroom. She cried and begged and moaned and I think therr was knashing of teeth...And then the calm settled and she announced to facebook that she was going to school...and then the cute boy in theatre said he went there...and she got up the next morning and straightened her hair...and then we got in the car, and she said, "Are you really taking me to school??" She totally thought I was bluffing.. So we got to school, and I made her pose in front for her first school picture for the scrap book...


And I walked in the office told the receptionist that we were homeschoolers and I needed information on enrolling a student. He sent us to the guidance office, and I spoke to both the 7th and 8th grade guidance counselors. Maddy sat outside the door so the whole time she was sure I was enrolling her, and then she was called in to go over what a day in the life of an average student looked like. The counselor advised me to call the homeschool office to enroll her and then we were off. We went to breakfast to discuss how her life would be changing, and how cherry she had it making her own schedule at home. I finally put her out of her misery and told her she would not be attending this year, HOWEVER, if she did not take some initiative I would flunk her at her evaluation and then place her in middle school next year back in the 7th grade. Maddy was not in trouble so much for her quality of work, but lack of self motivation. I feel that a key part of being priviledged to study at home is to be self motivated in your studies and online courses...so hopefully this has made an impression!!