The New Year brings new drama, and two of my three girls are giving me ulcers. O, my eldest who just finished her first semester of her second year in college, appears to be quitting school.
The problem relates to a very binding housing contract she signed back in the spring, when she was not sure about her housing situation. She wound up finding a house to rent with her friends, and she contacted the school to cancel her housing agreement. It turns out they denied her request, but she was not aware of it. I urged her, time and time again over the summer and fall, to go down there and be sure that was handled properly and that there were no issues, because I got a call myself at some point after the term started, asking me if she was planning on checking into her dorm. I explained that she had canceled her contract and no, would not be checking in, and asked them to call her and get it straight.
Short story short, she did not get it straight, and she now has a HUGE bill for housing that she did not use, and her account is frozen, so she cannot register for classes this term. I'm pretty sick about it, because it didn't have to be this way. She was told the contract is binding but that she ought to write a letter explaining what happened and see if they'll honor her request to be relieved of the terms. If so, her financial aid will pay almost ALL of her tuition, and she could easily afford to continue with classes.
I think this has freaked her out, however, and she's not doing anything. I think she might be able to get the mess straight but she's got her head in the sand and I'm helpless to do anything about it. She has to handle it herself but I can't get her to take action. I'm pretty sick over it.
The second situation is involving one of the twins, who is flunking 6th grade, essentially, because she has so much confusion about homework and classwork, and how to keep them straight. She seems unable to understand that she can discuss homework assignments with her teachers, and the whole 6th grade system of changing classes seems to be too overwhelming for her. She tells us her homework is done, but then will come home with a week's worth of missed assignments that she's got to get caught up on. She can't explain to us why she is having these problems, and whether she's outright lying about being done with her homework or whether she truly thinks she doesn't have any. If I ask to see her homework assignment book she'll say she left the worksheet at home, or she doesn't have the book to complete the assignment, or, most troublesome, she has no clue what the assignment relates to, where to get the work (textbook, worksheet, online) or what she's supposed to do. She can't explain why she would not ask her teacher at the time to explain the assignment, and she seems confused rather than lazy. It is pretty frightening to me.
I have emailed her teachers but they don't respond, and I have also emailed the guidance counselor, who has not yet responded, though I just sent my latest plea last night. She has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) to help with her learning disabilities, but I don't think it is working for her, and she seems to require additional help, or someone with her to show her how to get through her day and collect her assignments in a way she can understand.
So, 2013 is shaping up beautifully, and I'm looking forward to resolving these issues. Meanwhile, be sure and buy stock in Tums. Oh, and since my birthday is coming up, I like the fruit-flavored ones.
