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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to withdraw my DD from school against her fathers wishes?

65 replies

NeeNawNora · 19/06/2014 14:37

Dd is 7. Her teacher this year is pretty poor - had parents evening in November and when I asked if there was anything I could do to encourage/help dd she said not to bother doing anything as dd is working over a year above average. She hasn't had a reading book for 6 weeks and hasn't been moved up a level for months, despite reading well above it at home. Dd says she finds school boring - lots of queuing, sitting in circles and waiting for others to catch up.

Dp has at least 2-3 weekdays off and is highly qualified in maths/science. I'm highly qualified in English/languages. I'm seriously considering home educating dd as feel between us we have a good knowledge base and can share care of our younger dc. However, dds father (who sees her an average of one weekend per month) is dead set against it. Aibu to think she'd be better off home educated?

OP posts:
NeeNawNora · 19/06/2014 22:58

Forgot to answer - dp works full-time as an engineer but in shifts so is around a lot of weekdays. I work freelance and could continue to do so at evenings and weekends. Keeping her in school and teaching her at home on evenings and weekends is impossible as she has younger siblings, step sibling and extra-curricular activities to take into account.

OP posts:
lougle · 19/06/2014 23:09

Why don't you trial it over the summer break so you have evidence that it will work?

Xihha · 19/06/2014 23:15

Jinsei, I think driven was aiming that at me, not the OP

drivenbyyou I've explained to DS its because the judge says so, that I don't like it any more than he does and that if needs be I'll fight his decisions again. The judge can see the difference between reasoned opinions and awkward spitefulness, so hopefully it'll work out as well as primary school did.

Mammuzza · 19/06/2014 23:18

I think the only thing to be done in these sorts of situations is put the child in the centre and do the calculations based on their gains, and their potential losses.

I removed my son from a state school years ago. I am not anti HE. But as with any educational choice, the child's needs have to be the absolute priority.

People are not backwards at coming forwards and making bleak warnings such as "SS could take you away!", "it's illegal !" even to children. They don't always limit it to when you are around to deal with them on her behalf either. Where there is agreement between parents that can be handled most of the time to avoid the child worrying themselves sick.

But where there is strong, ongoing disagreement between her parents over her education... it may be hard or impossible to convince her that she is not at risk of dramatic changes, or bad things happening to her/her mum, especially if her dad does escalate things.

It isn't always a cake walk, both for parents and kids, to shift to HE. There is a whole other level of stress and angst included in your situation. Which could be for an extended period.

Given all that, are you absolutly sure that what your daughter will get out of HE is going to be worth all and any emotional costs she might have to pay if things turn quite nasty and/or move to a full blown legal dispute between you and her dad ?

If you are not convinced the answer is "yes, totally worth it, still a signficant win overall for kiddo", perhaps it might be worth shelving HE for now. Find ways to supplement her school education. You can always revisit the question in the future to take its temperature and see how the land lies with dad then.

Xihha · 19/06/2014 23:20

OP, she's 7, the judge is unlikely to take her opinion into account Sad

If you can make a reasoned argument you might get it but 'its what DD wants' means very little to a court when they are that young and potentially easily influenced by you. (Not saying you are influencing her but that's what any solicitor will claim)

NeeNawNora · 19/06/2014 23:20

That's the plan lougle. Just don't want to get dds hopes up that HE could be a possibility if her father can ultimately stop it.

OP posts:
NeeNawNora · 19/06/2014 23:23

I know, Xihha Sad Ironically I hadn't really ever considered HE until one day dd had an authorised day off for a family wedding and she got talking to some friends of the familys children who were HE and came and said what a great idea it was and asked if we could do it too.

OP posts:
BrianTheMole · 19/06/2014 23:28

What about flexi schooling as a compromise?

Xihha · 19/06/2014 23:31

stupid isn't it? I'm a strong believer in letting children make their own decisions as much as possible and gave both my DC a say in choosing their primary schools but no official will ever believe a child was capable of thinking things through like that, they don't even think DS should get a say in secondary.

Mammuzza · 19/06/2014 23:40

What compromise? Either a child goes to school or she doesn't.

Actually there is a compromise that I know has been used in a few situations when one parent wants HE and one who wants school. Only seen it where the kids were being HEed before the break up though.

Online school. So the parent who wants school gets the professionally delived, NC respecting, daily routine, formal teaching academics that they are concerned about. And the parent who wants HE still has the time, involvement, not at brick school aspects they want.

Trouble is, OP's little one is really little, and I think the one primary online school I know of starts at 9 years old. Plus there is no guarentee that her ex would consider it an acceptable compromise anyway.

NoodleOodle · 19/06/2014 23:45

I would be unreasonable but if I were sure it were the best for the child, I would do it anyway and deal with the consequences. Or try to change ExH's mind and then do it. Either way, if I were certain it would be a better education, I would do it.

morethanpotatoprints · 19/06/2014 23:45

Hello OP.

This is what I would do in your situation.

Do some research, read books and join fb group etc.
Inform yourself so you can answer your x argument.
If you think it is viable then go for it, call his bluff.
I'm pretty sure one of you only needs to deregister anyway, he'd have to take you to court, could he and would he do this.

I would like to know what being a teacher has to do with H.ed?
Anybody?

NeeNawNora · 19/06/2014 23:50

He would very likely try the court route as he enjoys being opposed to everything I say and do and disrupting dd and I as much as possible. We've been separated for many years now, so unfortunately it isn't likely to change

OP posts:
NoodleOodle · 20/06/2014 00:46

Could you do a few other things first that he's likely to take you to court over, to demonstrate a pattern of him being unreasonable and trying to use the court system to control you. Then get a court order forbidding him from taking you to court again for a few years. And then, take DD out of school and HE?

A friend of mine had an Ex who would take her to court over the smallest of things, making frequent minor quibbles into court issues so she got an order that prevented him from taking her to court again for a set period of time.

Luggagecarousel · 22/06/2014 13:39

I find it odd that your DP would commit to spending his life home educating a child that isn't his.

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