morecats - thanks, rec'd email and replied. We don't have any structure in place either. I think its far more important, atm, to boost my DD1's happiness and confidence. Today, for example, I've got my work to do this morning (takes me two hours) and she's coming with me - I'm a courier delivering parcels. I will get her out and about knocking on doors, getting signatures, having a chat with some of the lovely people I deliver to. Then its home and lunch sat out in the garden (gorgeous weather here today which is a bonus!), then she can either sit and read one of her many books (she's a real bookworm) or she can read the paper - I don't care! She wants to do some English work which I'm happy for her to do (she's very keen) but we just use the workbooks I bought from WHSmiths....then after about an hour or so she'll probably do some of her sewing (she has her own website on facebook which she shows her pieces of work) and has even managed to sell a couple of bits!...then its off to pick up DD2 from school, and like yesterday DD1 will see her mates whilst I'm waiting for DD2 to come out (she takes forever)...and then home again and time to chill. So we're not doing anything planned...just taking each day as it comes. I've suggested she has a day off during the week and we can do cooking, walking (we have a dog) and like yesterday we sat in the local park and had lunch.
If anything I'm rediscovering my eldest daughter. I do feel that I lost touch with her a bit especially when so much was going on at school and seeing her so happy now (and sleeping well, eating and being far more integrated with the family) its made me realise just how unhappy she was before. She's had her period this last week too and whereas she'd be as moody as hell and we kept our distance she's been absolutely fine and a lot more content.
DD1 has had huge health issues too in her short life, all brought on by bullying/worry from school. She has been in and out of hospital many times. Although no operations were involved (I hope your DD1 is ok morecats) but it was all in all a very tough time for us all. Back in December 2010 she got glandular fever - she was in bed for over a month and we have had to deal with repeat episodes of it ever since, although not as serious, but even so regular bouts of absence from school...which hasn't helped. And in that respect its a relief that we have chosen to do HE-ing because we are now fully aware of what she has to learn for her GCSE's and have a far clearer idea of what she would otherwise have missed out on at school. However, having said that, having got workbooks for her year (year 8) and what should've been covered at school, and what she has actually covered at school, it is extremely shocking to see how little they have completed. For example...the English workbook for Year 8 lists about 20 different sections/subjects...and she'd done about 5 and considering the fact there is only a few more weeks left of Year 8 I cannot honestly see how on earth the school could say they'd have completed it all, unless of course they pushed them so damn hard at the end to make them finish it.
The level of teaching at her old school was appalling too. Far too many young teachers, just out of Uni, who I know have to start somewhere but when they can't even control a class of 35 kids, spent pretty much the entire lesson reprimanding children and the kids sit there on their phones taking photos, texting and taking videos to put on the internet when they get home....is simply not my idea of a lesson.
I'm so glad we have now walked away from it. :)