My daughter is skipping school again

[TrogL]

She went through a bout of this awhile ago and we came down hard on her. Now it's started up again. It's hard to catch because the school's pupil-tracking software is buggy, but they actually went looking for her today and couldn't find her.

She's gotten into the work world and really, really liking it. The problem is, it's a McJob and she's smarter than that. If she insists upon being in food services, I'd rather her go to culinary school and get a chef job than flipping burgers. Problem is, she needs marks.

[abelenkpe]

1. I use to skip

I was bored. Then I discovered that if I wanted I could trade in my class time to go to a local college and take courses for half the day and still receive credit in HS. Maybe your daughter is just bored with the classes at the HS level? Can she go to culinary school and get credit for it? Just a thought.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

2. A lot high schools offer vocational classes or allow students

to attend a local vocational school. So, this might be an option. If she is not interested in her classes, maybe you should have a meeting with her and her guidance counselor and try to get her in a few classes that she might like next semester.

[cally]

3. We're working on a 'contract' with my teens

Basically, you identify the specific behavior you want like "Attend school everyday unless I have agreed you are ill enough to stay home." Then, identify a positive consequence and a negative consequence. Positive consequences could be more allowance, extension of curfew, more TV time, louder music, etc--whatever is cherished by your teen. Negative consequences are removal of these.

I saw an example where a 14 year old was breaking curfew. So, the behavior was to be home at 5 on school nights and 8 and weekends. For each week, he met curfew, he was allowed an extra hour. If he broke curfew, he lost an hour.

I've heard of parents who ended up removing almost everything from the room until their children started following the rules. I hope it doesn't get that extreme at our house.

[phylny]

4. Book suggestion

On the advice of a friend, I purchased and am reading a book titled, "Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy! Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind" by Michael J. Bradley.

It is without a doubt one of the finest, smartest, and most useful books on parenting I've ever read. I have no connection with the author or publisher :)

[blondeatlast]

5. I read book reviews as part of my job and I read a GREAT one

for that. My son is only 7, but I figure it's never too early to start!