3 Signs Your Child Might Not Be Cut Out For Online High School

Online high schools are a dream come true for many kids. They're away from the pressures of bullies, teachers who don't teach to their level, and dozens of other problems that characterize a typical day in the life of a high school student. They can work at their own pace, contact teachers whenever they need help, and arrange their schedule to suit themselves instead of being forced into a schedule that doesn't work for them. Unfortunately, for some kids, online high schools aren't a dream--they're a nightmare. If you've considered online high school for your child, first consider these signs that your child might not be cut out for online high school after all.

Your child thrives on social interaction

For some teenagers, half of the purpose for going to school is for social interaction. They want to engage with their peers, get involved with clubs and activities, and chat in the halls. If that describes your child, online high school might not be their best choice. While attending online high school, a large chunk of social interaction is lost. While there are certainly opportunities to chat with peers, most of the "interaction" takes place through a computer screen--and for an extrovert that thrives on social interaction, that can be a disaster.

Your child has trouble with self-motivation

Do you have to stay on top of your child constantly just to make sure that homework is getting done each day? Is it like pulling teeth just to get a handful of chores seen to before and after school? A child who isn't inclined toward self-motivation may have more trouble with the looser setup of an online high school. They'll put off work until the last possible moment, find ways to make it look as though they've done work that they haven't done, and in general make a mess of their education instead of benefiting from everything that an online high school has to offer. If your child is unable to be self-motivated, you might want to look at your alternatives again before choosing online high school.

Your child needs to fill all the hours they would typically spend in school

Some children simply need to be occupied. They need to be busy, always doing something. While online high school can provide this for a little while, eventually, your child will end up so far ahead that they won't be able to find anything to do with themselves during school hours. Online high school removes any of the time-wasting activities that are so common in a brick and mortar school. There are no fire drills, no bomb threats, no in-school performances. There's no need to take up half the morning with announcements when they come straight to your email in-box. There's no lost time while teachers pass out papers, nor is there a need for ten minutes in between every class to travel from one to the other. Breaks are what your student choose to make of them. All of these are wonderful things for a student who is pressed for time or who prefers to work at a faster pace, but for those who need to stay occupied, online high school might not be the ideal choice.

 None of these characteristics necessarily mean that they can't succeed wherever they're planted; they just mean that you'll need to handle those unique issues before placing your child in an online school setting. You want what's best for your child. Ideally, you want to offer the opportunity for a high-quality education no matter how or where your child attends school; and for many children, online high school is exactly that. However, before you dive in, make sure that it really will be a high-quality education for your child's specific needs. You want them to succeed; and with prior preparation and effort, online high school can allow your child to do exactly that.