I keep reading posts & hearing from other adults complaining of their older children's behaviour issues. I am always left SO relieved that we homescool. My oldest will be 14 this summer & we have ZERO behaviour issues. She is the greatest help, so responsible....no lying, not selfish or greedy. All my friends think she is wonderful & she has inspired others to homeschool their kids. One friend told me she thought my daughter had the soul of a saint :)

Is this abnormal? I have really assumed that homeschooling is one of the big factors in this (we do know homeschooled teens who are brats - but they went to school for the greater part of their education. I try to keep dd clear of them. She grosses out on their discussion of "my boyfriend thinks I'm hot" & how to play a guy :rolleyes: ).

I'd love to hear from other parents of older kids who have been all or mostly homeschooled.

I was homeschooled from half of first grade on. Sounds to me, your daughter is a lot like I was. Would rahter be in my room studying school work or the Bible or playing the piano. I was very shy. I am way more outgoing now but I have never drank anything alcoholic, smoked anything or anything else people say "kids have to experiment" with. I recently befriended a woman who we have become best friends even though we live in totally different regions and haven't met (she'll find her match through pen pal or the internet). My friend, likewise, never tried anything but also had peer pressure from friends where I really didn't (we also both have heart murmurs which I didn't know I had until after having my daughter so thank goodness I didn't try anything). She was homeschooled, isn't a Christian (so we have a few differences), and likes movies I do not, but for the most part we just totally get each other. So, your daughter isn't the only one like that and when she becomes an adult will have an easier time with the differences she doesn't like in her friends. I some times want to laugh at one of my childhood friends who has many earrings, is learning the drums and has ony wanted to talk about campus life during her college years. In fact, when you are an adult, you got to admit that you come to appreciate differences in relationships or it would be too boring. Your daughter may be one of few, but that is because she is way wiser beyond her years (its a gift and a curse!)

You have no worries with her differences, but she does need you to encourage her to continue to be herself even if that means different than "everyone else" as it is so called. Also note that, if she is like me, she handle way more than most girls her age, so if there is ever an emergency with a sibling while you are away, you can count on her to take care of things (I had to deal with one; my mom came home and freaked out! It involved a lot of blood from a sibling's bloody nose which I cleaned up for my mom without being asked just because that was the thing to do, or at least how I viewed the situaiton.)

:)

Jennifer

I know a lot of homeschooled teens. Seems like your daughter is a normal teen! The homeschooled teens I knew were part of the reason I chose to homeschool my boys.

People in our church who have watched our kids grow up have said to me (in so many words, too) that they are now believers in homeschooling specifically because of what they've seen when comparing our dds to institutionalized peers. So, yes, what you are experiencing is normal behavior for homeschooled teens. Cool, huh. ;)