My 15 year old daughter is getting bullied at her high school........ What to do?
My friend Cathy was saying after a pilates workout this morning how difficult watching her 15 year old cop a raw deal with girls at her high school.
My Millie used to be friends with these girls but there was a falling out and now they are giving her such a hard time. While Millie is upset at the bulling, her grades are dropping and worse of all she is drifting into the party group. Even worse, she is wanting to party on the weekend, it is a battle to enforce the rules and be understanding at the same time. We cannot and will not give in to her partying all night and wandering all over the Coast with her new found friends at the age of 15 years old.
So my husband and I have decided that a move to another school is the right direction for Millie. She is a smart girl and has the potential to do very well academically. So we are looking at enrolling her into a private independent school in the next suburb. It is our hope that she will find a new friendship group and re-kindle her want to learn at the school.
This decision has not been made lightly, the state school system has been fantastic for our previous two children, both are very happy and doing well socially and academically. It is only Millie that has hit the skids. Of course, we have talked to the teachers, the deputy principal has been very supportive working at easing the bullying. We are grateful for all the assistance but we feel that Millie needs to shift schools as soon as possible. We really want to remove the partying influence now, nip it in the bud.
Going on Millie's Naplan semester results the private school is offering Millie a partial scholarship. This is a good sign, fees will be reduced. Millie is open to a change of schools so it is a visit to the school this week with the aim to enrol her.
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This is Cathy's story and not an isolated one. Parents are confronted with all sorts of school related problems. Issues range from poor teaching to bullying to personality conflicts whether they are private independent schools or state schools. Not one size fits all and in the case of children in the family not all the kids fit into the same school system. From my perspective as a parent and an education professional I support parents selecting schools or other schooling alternatives for their individual children. In some instances, a parent may make a decision to home school their child or teenager. I know that such decisions are based on sound reasons. The trick is to act in a timely fashion in order to minimise emotional and mental anguish for both parent and child.
Cheers
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School choice is most important for children who are struggling in their current school. Students who are prospering in a given school don't want to leave that school.
Students who are struggling in a given school need to find a different school.
Agree and thank you for commenting.
howdy angiemitchell! well that switch to the private school sounds like a good prescription and I hope it works out the way everyone wants.
I do too janton. Usually a new start in a totally different school is good.