Off Topic Part Deux

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Sorry - I'm super sensitive about it right now I guess - Not to unload, but my 17 yr old has now dropped out of school essentially. She has a good, sweet side (no drugs or alcohol or running around) and then the evil, moody - I hate the US and I'm going to screw you over side.unfortunately the evil side has one out for now and she's basically become a hermit in our house. She doesn't go out - because it would be embarassing to see people and have them wonder why she dropped out etc etc etc.

She's now going to family counsellor to hopefully work through this - for now I have an unemployed , unmotivated 17 yr old who I can't even look at...........

I'm sorry to hear about your son having to repeat - it's good that he's on the younger side

[Sprailenes 47]

Sorry - I'm super sensitive about it right now I guess - Not to unload, but my 17 yr old has now dropped out of school essentially. She has a good, sweet side (no drugs or alcohol or running around) and then the evil, moody - I hate the US and I'm going to screw you over side.unfortunately the evil side has one out for now and she's basically become a hermit in our house. She doesn't go out - because it would be embarassing to see people and have them wonder why she dropped out etc etc etc.

She's now going to family counsellor to hopefully work through this - for now I have an unemployed , unmotivated 17 yr old who I can't even look at...........

I'm sorry to hear about your son having to repeat - it's good that he's on the younger side

yea adjusting SUCKS. Its hard for us as adults I can't imagine what it must be like for our kids. You have every right to feel the way you do.

Especially going into grade 12, I mean everyone has already found their niche... its hard to get into that. I just meant the work load, they've been preparing her for the academics for a while and they just wanted to know if HS was more difficult and I don't think it is from what I have seen. But it differs from state to state as Canada's differs from province to province.

I don't like that he repeated a grade though. I should have fought for him more that year, I shouldn't have let them decide for me, but I was new and I regret making him repeat. He sees it as "failing" and I am always quick to correct him, but he has it in his mind that he has failed grade 3, that breaks my heart.

[trailmix 77]

Sorry - I'm super sensitive about it right now I guess - Not to unload, but my 17 yr old has now dropped out of school essentially. She has a good, sweet side (no drugs or alcohol or running around) and then the evil, moody - I hate the US and I'm going to screw you over side.unfortunately the evil side has one out for now and she's basically become a hermit in our house. She doesn't go out - because it would be embarassing to see people and have them wonder why she dropped out etc etc etc.

She's now going to family counsellor to hopefully work through this - for now I have an unemployed , unmotivated 17 yr old who I can't even look at...........

I'm sorry to hear about your son having to repeat - it's good that he's on the younger side

Wow that's tough Udella - never really gave much thought to the metric/history adjustment which would indeed be difficult, especially for high school students. Hang in there!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Sorry - I'm super sensitive about it right now I guess - Not to unload, but my 17 yr old has now dropped out of school essentially. She has a good, sweet side (no drugs or alcohol or running around) and then the evil, moody - I hate the US and I'm going to screw you over side.unfortunately the evil side has one out for now and she's basically become a hermit in our house. She doesn't go out - because it would be embarassing to see people and have them wonder why she dropped out etc etc etc.

She's now going to family counsellor to hopefully work through this - for now I have an unemployed , unmotivated 17 yr old who I can't even look at...........

I'm sorry to hear about your son having to repeat - it's good that he's on the younger side

yea adjusting SUCKS. Its hard for us as adults I can't imagine what it must be like for our kids. You have every right to feel the way you do.

Especially going into grade 12, I mean everyone has already found their niche... its hard to get into that. I just meant the work load, they've been preparing her for the academics for a while and they just wanted to know if HS was more difficult and I don't think it is from what I have seen. But it differs from state to state as Canada's differs from province to province.

I don't like that he repeated a grade though. I should have fought for him more that year, I shouldn't have let them decide for me, but I was new and I regret making him repeat. He sees it as "failing" and I am always quick to correct him, but he has it in his mind that he has failed grade 3, that breaks my heart.

Aww - that breaks my heart - worse then anything we all complain about here because to him that is a super big deal

[JillA 2]

It was hilarious! I think when they were terrified.

Poor guys.

That was funny! I know what you mean though, when you see another Canadian around you in a foreign land you immediately have something in common, it's cool!

[Sprailenes 47]

Next year he's going to middle school, they don't have grades 1-8 in one school around here... he'll be switching classes and he'll have a locker, and that terrifies me. However he's excited about it, I just see him as so little though.

Your daughter could perhaps get her GED and just go straight to college? Have you thought about that option? Or home schooling?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Next year he's going to middle school, they don't have grades 1-8 in one school around here... he'll be switching classes and he'll have a locker, and that terrifies me. However he's excited about it, I just see him as so little though.

Your daughter could perhaps get her GED and just go straight to college? Have you thought about that option? Or home schooling?

Funny you should mention - but my thinking has taken me down the Homeschooled route...GED will be another option as well. Right now it's hard to talk to her about it since she's pi$$y (yay hormones) but eventually I'm hoping to have her understand we don't think she's a failure and there are other ways to go about.

A bigger thing is getting other family members to understand that she hasn't just failedan disn't a loser - this includes my own faimly and Don's - we know they'll come down hard on her and be judgemental - not exactly what she needs more of - she has me for that after all.

[Sprailenes 47]

Yea others will not understand her situation until they have walked a mile in her shoes. You're such a supportive mother and she doesn't know it now but she'll see realize it later, you're standing by her side in difficult times and understanding those difficult times.

I wish you the best of luck.

[thetreble 19]

My daughter has been screwed more by the fact that she came from a smaller (1500) Arts oriented school in Kitchener into a massive (3600) 'Sports are God/ Academics are all that matters' school. They did not do a great job of helping a foreign student integrate - if she hadn't spoken english, at least they would have put her in special classes. Socially she is an ok kid and has friends of all sorts, school wise she failed most of last year (you may have read my saga elsewhere) and continues to have problems - not everything is the school's fault, but much is

I just realized your daughter and I went to the same highschool

Udella, if she needs someone to talk to her, even if it's about home, give her my info. We obviously grew up around the same part of town and I'm still pretty young. If she just needs someone, I'd love to talk to her. That may seem kind of weird but it's just a suggestion.

Edited March 18, 2009 by thetreble

[Krikit 1,164]

Sorry - I'm super sensitive about it right now I guess - Not to unload, but my 17 yr old has now dropped out of school essentially. She has a good, sweet side (no drugs or alcohol or running around) and then the evil, moody - I hate the US and I'm going to screw you over side.unfortunately the evil side has one out for now and she's basically become a hermit in our house. She doesn't go out - because it would be embarassing to see people and have them wonder why she dropped out etc etc etc.

She's now going to family counsellor to hopefully work through this - for now I have an unemployed , unmotivated 17 yr old who I can't even look at...........

Awwwwwwwwwww. You poor things. ((((((((((((((Udella)))))))))))))))) I'm sorry you're having to go through all that. Hopefully the counselling will help. (F)

[BermyCat 1]

I remember moving from high school in Bermuda to high school in Ottawa when I was 14. The curriculums in the two countries are quite different so my marks dropped off significantly, especially in math. The French language requirement was awful for me too. Almost everyone had taken French for years and I felt like a total idiot in French class. I was lucky that this particular school was used to international students and the teachers were good about helping me catch up in the areas I needed. Still, it was very hard even with their help.

I can't imagine how difficult things must have been for your daughter without the kind of support that I got. I hope she and your family are able to understand that it's not a failure on her part that she is struggling. Even the brightest student in the most supportive school environment is going to have a lot trouble adjusting to school in a new country.

~ Catherine

[Krikit 1,164]

Heck, I had a terrible time adjusting to the way Americans do things, period, let alone bringing school into the mix.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

pretty warm here too, carla. i guess it's spring time.

is anyone else seeing a face in the coffee cup this morning?

Beautiful coffee today Carla, thanks and good morning!

You mean this face Charles?

that's not quite the one i'm seeing - same general area, a bit more to the right and with 2 eyes.

Just looking at a house inspection firms 'bloopers and blunders' page and it made me realize why they have to put warnings on everything - this person has an uncovered light bulb in a shower - but as a topper they put a switch in there as well

not surprising - probably union too "the plans said it goes here, so it's gonna go here!"

[Udella&Wiz 325]

My daughter has been screwed more by the fact that she came from a smaller (1500) Arts oriented school in Kitchener into a massive (3600) 'Sports are God/ Academics are all that matters' school. They did not do a great job of helping a foreign student integrate - if she hadn't spoken english, at least they would have put her in special classes. Socially she is an ok kid and has friends of all sorts, school wise she failed most of last year (you may have read my saga elsewhere) and continues to have problems - not everything is the school's fault, but much is

I just realized your daughter and I went to the same highschool

Udella, if she needs someone to talk to her, even if it's about home, give her my info. We obviously grew up around the same part of town and I'm still pretty young. If she just needs someone, I'd love to talk to her. That may seem kind of weird but it's just a suggestion.

You are going to make me cry Yep - she wishes she was back at Eastwood big time - she fit in there no problem and they were sooooo easy going about well....everything. I will tell ehr and maybe she'd be into chatting with someone else from home...I'll PM you with her's/my facebook stuff

[Sprailenes 47]

pretty warm here too, carla. i guess it's spring time.

is anyone else seeing a face in the coffee cup this morning?

Beautiful coffee today Carla, thanks and good morning!

You mean this face Charles?

that's not quite the one i'm seeing - same general area, a bit more to the right and with 2 eyes.

I see Satan.