Likely to be Delayed 2-3 Years, Advice?

[VernalSole1355]

So I'm in a bit of a pickle, maybe you guys can help me out with some tips or advice?

While it is NOT set in-stone yet, I am VERY likely to end up being delayed an additional 2 or 3 years for my High School education (currently 12th grade, was within a semester of graduating at one point) due to a combination of factors, ranging from:

-Me simply being lazy
-Lack of motivation
-COVID screwing stuff up
-Family emergency

Do note that I am homeschooled, for now, but I may very well be forced into a regular school system by my parents if I flunk this year. (I've got until mid-July, and I'm around half a year behind with 4 subjects left).

No, I do not have my drivers license, so I can't live on my own, and the idea of getting a GED has all been shot down by my parents. I do feel like I'm a failure sometimes, but the smart side of me reminds me I'm not and I've just been delayed my whole life in terms of growth. (Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, etc.)

What would you guys do in my situation? Work through it and try to finish this year? Throw in the towel and delay? Try to get a GED? I want your honest thoughts on this.

 

[ForestGumpett]

Do they offer night classes? I did much better with night classes. Where I lived the night H/S classes were just as good as the day one’s so your parents may take you and still be happy? Just an idea. It’s not the same as a GED...but my diploma did come in the mail box - ha! Ask me if I care?!

Is there anything you can take on-line to help you finish?

Do what you can and GET IT OVER WITH! You have to do it one day, just do it. If you need any excuse as far as being behind then blame it on covid, Lord knows everyone is blaming covid from politics to hemorrhoids (one in the same lol) so I feel sure you can just mutter ....bla bla bla..covid...bla... and nobody will say a word, if they do then say nothing and walk off — you don’t owe anyone an explanation.

I was called lazy too, was on my report card when I was a kid. They can kiss my grits, later in life I worked TWO JOBS while in college making 4.0 GPA on medical studies.

Know what you know and own it, your not lazy or anything else they are labeling you. Get the stuff over with and move on, life will get better just sometimes we got to take the poopy end of the stick to get up the river you’ll be fine.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

What does a drivers liscense have to do with independent living? I never owned a car between 25 and 32.....and hardly drive now....

The reg hs diploma is better, by far. Can you hire a tutor? College is way better, but it costs money to do it. What do you want to do with your life?

Whats the scene like with your parents, do they abuse you? Is it like you HAVE to leave, bc they dont want you around anymore? Are you sure about those things?

Are you involved with a mental health pro? How much impairment are we talking about here? Are you going to be able to live on your own? Does anyone else agree with your own self assessment?

Lazy, really? Is that an ok way to be, as far as youre concerned? Might be time to ask yourself about what you want to be, and what you need to do that.

Its your life......

 

[Sherlock77]

@VernalSole1355

In my opinion, do whatever you can - right now - to get your primary schooling done

If you want it enough, even by asking the question, just commit to it... I think the sooner you do it the better off you are for the future...

 

[VernalSole1355]

Do they offer night classes? I did much better with night classes. Where I lived the night H/S classes were just as good as the day one’s so your parents may take you and still be happy? Just an idea. It’s not the same as a GED...but my diploma did come in the mail box - ha! Ask me if I care?!

My homeschooling is done all offline, so it's done whenever I can. I can't do it at night though due to IRL schedule.

@Skittlebisquit @Sherlock77 and @ForestGumpett Thanks for the words of advice. I had a talk with my mother just a bit ago and I think I got the Come-to-Jesus meeting I needed. Advice is always appreciated!

 

[Skittlebisquit]

I wish good things for you! I wish i had someone to teach me for free, did you tell her how much you are grateful?

 

[VernalSole1355]

I wish good things for you! I wish i had someone to teach me for free, did you tell her how much you are grateful?

I did, thanks for the reminder though. I'll do it again, though!

 

[VictorR]

Do you have any goals or wishes? Or even just something you like?

Sometimes when I'm not motivated to do something, I'll promise myself that I'll do something fun as a reward at the end, like go somewhere, or spend several days eating only my favourite food, so that way there's an incentive to work towards whatever needs to be done, in this case, finishing HS.

 

[VernalSole1355]

Do you have any goals or wishes? Or even just something you like?

I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life career wise, but I know I like sports, I want to finish High School, and I want to get more involved in my Church . So I'll for sure take that advice.

 

[Aspychata]

Finish off high school if you can. I was delayed due to earthquake proof work done to high school, then a bus strike, so they gave me some books and said study, then l came and took tests and passed. The counselor called me into office and said you have only been in school 32 days. And l was living full-time as a nanny with a family and taking care of 3 kids in my last year when this happened.

 

[Au Naturel]

So I'm in a bit of a pickle, maybe you guys can help me out with some tips or advice?

While it is NOT set in-stone yet, I am VERY likely to end up being delayed an additional 2 or 3 years for my High School education (currently 12th grade, was within a semester of graduating at one point) due to a combination of factors, ranging from:

-Me simply being lazy
-Lack of motivation
-COVID screwing stuff up
-Family emergency

Do note that I am homeschooled, for now, but I may very well be forced into a regular school system by my parents if I flunk this year. (I've got until mid-July, and I'm around half a year behind with 4 subjects left).

No, I do not have my drivers license, so I can't live on my own, and the idea of getting a GED has all been shot down by my parents. I do feel like I'm a failure sometimes, but the smart side of me reminds me I'm not and I've just been delayed my whole life in terms of growth. (Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, etc.)

What would you guys do in my situation? Work through it and try to finish this year? Throw in the towel and delay? Try to get a GED? I want your honest thoughts on this.

Best option is to finish it and be done with it. Failing that...

You're 18, right? If you are a legal adult, get the GED regardless of your parents. Unless your parents are really good teachers, homeschooling is the pits. (It does not sound like they were very good.) No public school is going to accept you as an 18-year-old sophomore.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

As an educator, myself, I can say that the classroom situation for an autistic person can be quite challenging. Most teenagers, even neurotypicals, will often complain about "Why do I have to learn this stuff anyway?" Translation,..."I am not interested in this topic and you're forcing me to learn it." Now, throw in the social, communication, and anxiety issues with autism, perhaps a bit of attention deficit,...and then racing thoughts about your latest "special interest", and now you can't focus, at all, on your studies. School comes off as boring, a waste of time, and you're not going to put the effort into it because you can't see the real world application or the end goal. Been there, done that. If you are in a situation where you are forced to complete a bunch of seemingly meaningless general education classes to graduate,...it is quite challenging for the autistic. Once you find something interesting that you can focus upon, then this is where our enhanced ability to focus is an asset.

My answer for some autistics,...a trade school. A lot of kids when I was in high school were immediately picked up from the high school and bused directly to the local "tech center". Now, these are the people who are electricians, mechanics, HVAC repair, machinists, roofers and construction, plumbers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, etc....the types of people that society is in desperate need of,...and whose incomes often exceed professionals with university bachelors and masters degrees. A trade school cuts out all the "unnecessary" and directs it towards the end goal. For example, if you learn math technique,...it will be directly applicable to what you will be doing on a daily basis in your career. Most of the education is "hands on" projects with emphasis in performing high-quality work.

Just an idea.

 

[Rainbowcat]

As forementioned above try to finish school as fast as you can Personally found life after school much better.

I hated school. The only reason i didn't give up school was going each day after school to sailing training. Sailing was my life, more than a special interest. I did competitve sports and managed to go to the World Championship on Laser 4.7.

I agree with @VictorR, try to find something that gives you motivation to continue your studies as a reward to your daily effort! Life will have a much bigger meaning.

As for your GED scores, i don't have an opinion, i am not from US. But as a general advice i could say is , try to do whatever makes your life better and will make you more independant

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

My youngest son was in a similar situation, learning disability I planned out a regiment for him got him through college graduated as an electro mechanical-robotics technologist. He is doing well.

 

[VernalSole1355]

Best option is to finish it and be done with it. Failing that...

You're 18, right? If you are a legal adult, get the GED regardless of your parents. Unless your parents are really good teachers, homeschooling is the pits. (It does not sound like they were very good.) No public school is going to accept you as an 18-year-old sophomore.

Clarification:
I am homeschooled already, so that's not the issue. I am a Senior. Lots of people have to delay a year for that, some even two. I've read stories about it, and they've gone onto happy lives. Getting a GED "regardless of my parents" won't work for me due to mainly moral reasons.

 

[VernalSole1355]

My answer for some autistics,...a trade school. A lot of kids when I was in high school were immediately picked up from the high school and bused directly to the local "tech center". Now, these are the people who are electricians, mechanics, HVAC repair, machinists, roofers and construction, plumbers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, etc....the types of people that society is in desperate need of,...and whose incomes often exceed professionals with university bachelors and masters degrees. A trade school cuts out all the "unnecessary" and directs it towards the end goal. For example, if you learn math technique,...it will be directly applicable to what you will be doing on a daily basis in your career. Most of the education is "hands on" projects with emphasis in performing high-quality work.

My dad is an electrician's foreman for TVA, so I know all about the trades. I don't consider the trades to be a downgrade necessarily because of that. They are in my "deck of cards", (which I may well end up using, especially in the first year or so after I graduate).

 

[VernalSole1355]

You can alternately join Job Corps. You'll get out of the house and into a dorm. Get free food, clothes, a paycheck and most importantly, an education. They'll get you your choice of high school diploma or GED at your own pace and you will learn a career field of your choice. Once you graduate that career field, you can continue to live on center and go to community college, or transfer to a bigger center to go to advanced training. They'll also get you your driver's license if you need it.

Never heard of Job Corps... I will be sure to check it out later! Thanks!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Clarification:
I am homeschooled already, so that's not the issue. I am a Senior. Lots of people have to delay a year for that, some even two. I've read stories about it, and they've gone onto happy lives. Getting a GED "regardless of my parents" won't work for me due to mainly moral reasons.

I am a homeschool mom. My daughter is a Junior. What math are you working on?

 

[VernalSole1355]

@Yeshuasdaughter I believe it's Saxon's Advanced Math (modern one, the one with the Common Core stuff. -_-)

Just for note, I was going to delay my graduation a year anyway, because at the beginning of the year we pushed it back to next year because my work load was being stretched thin + I'm going to be at home next year anyway even if I did graduate this year.

 

[SDRSpark]

I'm pretty sure once you turn 18 your parents can no longer "shoot down" a GED because you'll be a legal adult who can do whatever the heck they want with regards to their education. However I think a high school diploma is the better choice.

Delayed 2-3 years if you don't pass this year? Why? If you're currently in 12th grade, I don't see why you should have to be delayed 2-3 years for failing this year.

Going to public school might not be a bad thing in your situation actually. And the suggestions of night classes and tutors are great as well! There are a lot of things that you can do.