grandfather

My granddaughter is 17 years old. She and her mother live across the street from my wife and I. They both lived with us for the first seven years of life as my daughter was a single mother.During these seven years my daughter graduated from nursing school as an R.N. I was the one who took my GD to school every day and began to notice that at recess she was always talking to the teachers and not interacting with other children. She was a bit overweight and the hell that we have gone through seems to stem from the relentlessness bullying about her weight.This weight issue is still the thing that she perceives as debilitating. In high school it became even worse as there were several students who made fun of her daily.She now refuses to go to school and says that she can't take it anymore. I might add that 2 1/2 years ago her former stepfather, who she hated, and had personnel problems himself,Broke every window in the house at 2:30 AM and was armed with a gun. I should add that he had left the home 6 times in the fist 2 years of the marriage. There is a story here that is too hard for me to write.My grandaughters father is a drug user. I cannot remember him ever giving her a birthday or Christmas present.She goes to visit him often and does want a relationship. She understands he's a bum but accepts him as he is.
My GD has been hospitalized twice for acting out.She blames her mother for many of her problems and I think my daughter has given up on her, and devotes most of her time to my grandson. I felt for years that GD has deep problems that required treatment but her mother let it go. GD has been diagnosed as having a form of bi polar disease.I am the one who always goes to her rescue and have taken she and her friends to events. I probably am an enabler but my love overshadows common sense. My question after all this rhetoric is since she refuses to attend public school or an alternative school, what are our options for her to get back in school? She wants to be home schooled but I don't feel qualified. We need help, NOW!

Thanks for any response you send my way.

Tom


Hi Tom. She is lucky to have you so involved. Generally I think there are several options. Other people can comment here as well. Homeschooling is an option, and you may be surprised to learn that you likely are qualified unless you didn't graduate from high school. If there is money there are often alternative schools for kids with anxiety and other mental health issues, and there are GED programs and diploma programs that the school may be able to inform you about. I will send an email to my list and ask them to comment on this post, and you can read other parents suggestions as well. Good luck to you and thank you for being such a wonderful grandfather

Sincerely

Kristen McClure