I'm homeschooled, and I'm extremely lonely. Should I go to high school next year?

Question

I started being homeschooled after winter break this year, and I love most things about it. I quit school because of stress and the fact that I wasn't learning anything. I just now realized how much I took for granted the fact that school automatically forces you into making friends.

Answer 1

I cant answer this better than Glurpy, but i am going to copy and paste something Glurpy wrote because i'm a little shocked.  See below:

Glurpy wrote:

Have you looked for social opportunities with homeschoolers where you live? Volunteer opportunities? Sports? Classes? Are you allowed to do any of this? (I understand some parents don't make allowances for this.)

What?? This is the first time i have ever heard that there are some parents who homeschool their kids who dont make allowances for their kids to take part in social opportunities outside of the school system. Why???  (oh gee, i know this is NOT suppose to be a message board for group discussion, and i'm not really answering the question. )

Well, for an answer, all i'll say is i agree with Glurpy. School is not the only answer for loneliness.

Answer 2

I agree with zzzzzzzzzz. Find a good homeschooling high school aged group. They do lots of stuff together. My daughter lives in a small community, but only a 20 minute drive in 2 different towns gets her to 2 groups.

Answer 3

I was home schooled K-12 and I have to tell you that there are lonely times....but the few friends I have made are awesome friends....not 'forced socilization' 'friends'.

Get involved in a home school group or start a new hobby and take a class. I made a lot of friends through community theatre and dance classes.

I'd stay the home school course and just find some new outlets for friend-making!

Answer 4

If you want to go to High school -- and you *honestly* reckon it'll be beneficial and neither harmful nor damaging to your future -- go.

(I'm assuming you're in Oz here as your question showed up under the 'Australian Questions Only' tab!)

If you're a city/town kid, your future probably isn't threatened by your going to an Aussie High school; if you're a pastoral kid, you and your parents need to think very carefully about what is best for you in the long run. For too many pastoral kids, conventional High school, whether in Oz or overseas, is nothing more than a one way ticket to a lifetime spent on the dole!  



There's no real reason to be 'extrememly lonely' just because you're home-educated though; I'm home-educated and living in a remote area and am, according to Centrelink at least, an 'isolated child'...'lonely' is the very last thing I am!

What else are you doing apart from 'homeschool'? Scouts? Venturers? AAFC? Volunteering? Working? Sports? SLC? Are you making the effort to get involved in your local community activities and projects? Working parties? Drama groups? Young Farmers? Dance groups?

The list is practically endless once you start looking! If you haven't already, pop down to the library and find out what's going on within travelling distance of your house.

Anyway if you managed to make friends previously at school, there is absolutely no reason that I can come up with as to why you shouldn't be able to make friends now you're no longer at school. After all, it's a skill everyone has to learn once they're done with Yr 12/13.

Whatsmore, friendships made out in the 'real world' will be heaps more representative of adult life than those friendships you're 'forced into' by virtue of being stuck in the highly artificial and contrived social environment of High school.

Answer 5

Are you sure that they weren't being hostile?

maybe you could try it again, then if you find it too much, go back to home schooling.

You know there are home school groups that meet. perhaps your library provides it. You could call and ask them about groups. You should be able to find them online too.

Good luck in making your decision.

Answer 6

Did you drop your friends when you started homeschooling? Or did they drop you? How come you aren't doing anything with your friends from school?

Have you looked for social opportunities with homeschoolers where you live? Volunteer opportunities? Sports? Classes? Are you allowed to do any of this? (I understand some parents don't make allowances for this.)

I think you should first try to DO something about your homeschool social activities. There's no reason why you should be home all the time, unless your parents are stopping you for some reason. If you are unwilling to do that, then you should go back to school only if making friends is more important to you than being less stressed.

ADDED: NewSong: Yes, indeed, there are parents who won't have their kids do anything. Or they are very strict and limiting in what they do allow that it doesn't count for much. Others simply don't allow the kids to do things during the school day which is the primary time to be doing things with homeschoolers. Not that there are many, but they are the ones that get remembered and help pass on the stereotype that "homeschooling parents shelter their kids too much by not letting them do anything".

Answer 7

yeah but where can homeschool take you to have friends later? unless you are planning to go to colleged, homeschool, you get jobs, but have like only 1-2 friends and most of them already have friends from highschool already so they wont be spending that much time for you, guys dont need that much spending time but i think girls will get super lonely

Answer 8

Go back.

Answer 9

Yes, but making friends like that isn't natural socialization. Why haven't you done anything to maintain a social life as a homeschooler? Have you joined your local homeschool group? Have you gotten involved in clubs, sports, or any social or extracurricular activities? You really should. I'm a homeschooled highschooler and I have a more active social life than most of my public school friends. I even have a boyfriend. Google "<your county> Homeschool Groups" to get started, and join up and network. Then try "<your county> Parks and Recreation" to find out what else is available to you for socialization and extracurricular activity.

Answer 10

I would suggest going to high school when you can.  I know I'm not really that old but when they say "High school is the most important four years of your life," it is really true.  You really start to realize how much you miss out on in terms of social interaction.  High school taught me a lot of things from American History to Zoology and many of my best friends I made while in high school.  But more importantly than academics and acquaintances, high school taught me how to multi task between a social life and work life. (Face it, high school was a bit of work for some of us)

I don't know if my experiences would appeal to you as the decision is entirely yours.  I would say "Go for it," since a high school diploma gets you on a somewhat more credible level than a G.E.D. in the working world.

Answer 11

I would suggest you look at different activities you could become involved in.  Here are some ideas:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

You could also join a homeschool co-op or take some courses at a community college.

If you love most things about homeschooling, the friends issue should be fairly easy to fix.  Even if you go back to public school, once you graduate you will be responsible for forming your own social network.  Doing that now will be good practice for you.

Good luck making a decision!

Answer 12

i think u should DEFINITELY go to high school bcuz u will regret it if u dont go

it may be hard but i think you will be fine

if u dont feel like u r learning anything take some higher learning classes

and if u cant handle it you can go back to homeschooling but at least then you would know you tried

Answer 13

They can be to different things. If home schooling is working for you stick with it. Look at yourself and decide who you are, what you are interested in, sports, reading, art, then get involved. You can make great friends with the same interests. Don't know your interests. Go to the town hall and find out where you can volunteer till you decide.

Answer 14

Well, You could try and find some homeschooling groups in your area. I did that and made a few friends.