16-year-old homeschooler refuses to speak to her parents until they enroll her in public school: 'They didn't teach me anything, I only know the very basics that you would give a kindergartener.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Nov 13, 2025 11:00 AM EST

She's making pretty reasonable demands.

Extreme circumstances require extreme measures to be taken. Being unable to do basic math at 16 is a pretty extreme circumstance, and a teenager in that situation will likely be desperate to obtain an education by any means necessary. That could include getting emancipated from their parents so they can attend school and support themselves, rather than living under their parents' house rules that do not prioritize education in the slightest. It could also include getting the state involved, because clearly a teenager who can't subtract, multiply, or divide is the victim of educational neglect. 

The homeschooled teenager in this story adopted the approach of giving her parents the silent treatment until they allowed her to enroll in the local public school, thereby getting her education back on track. This is not merely her being a brat. She has asked over and over for years if she could attend school with actual instructors to help her learn concepts, but her parents have promised that she can go next year and repeatedly renege on that promise. All this girl wants is a solid educational foundation, but her parents do not seem to care about providing one.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • Red headed woman closing her eyes
    via alexey turenkov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Her parents are not responding well to her ignoring them, and they show no sign of caving to their demands. The teenager took to the internet to search for the next steps, and she received some solid advice from kind strangers.

  • Am I wrong for ignoring my parents until I turn 18 because they "homeschool" me?

    Hello! My(16f) parents, (both like 55 their age doesn't matter | don't even know it) decided to homeschool me when I was born.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I have no school records, or report cards. They kept me inside my whole life. And they didn't teach me anything, educational neglect.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • My whole life, I don't know any math really, I only know the very very basics that you would give a kindergartener.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • (1+1, 2+2, 10+10, those types) and I have been BEGGING them to enroll me in public school since I was 9, it's never been a "No", it's always been a "next year (excuse for why it's next year yet again)" I'm tired of it, I literally cannot teach myself.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I've tried to learn math alone since I was 14 but I fucking can't. I just don't get it at all, I need someone IN THE ROOM with me helping me, TEACHING ME.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • A teacher pointing at posters on the wall
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Not only the educational neglect, they never let me out of the house until I was old enough to go out alone.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I can now go on walks & such but that doesn't let me find any friends.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Person in red jacket and brown knit cap standing on brown grass field during daytime
    via Олег Мороз

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I have had no friends, or family growing up. We stay inside, we avoid people. So, two months ago I decided since they won't help me with anything, then I don't need them.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I have my ID, it was hell convincing them to take me down and get it, but I managed after 3 years.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I've been ignoring them, I go out there and make myself food, all while they try to talk to me but I say nothing.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I act like I live alone in this house now, I don't hear or see them.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I've told them why, I told them if they enroll me, I'll stop. They haven't. I'm holding on stronge, and haven't broken it yet.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • But I'm starting to feel bad, my mom's been crying, saying things like "What did I ever do to you baby?" "Please I just wanted to protect you." - it hurts.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Even my DAD has had some tears because of this, (I refused to eat my favorite meal that he makes) and they're both calling me a terrible human, saying they didn't raise an asshole that would do something like this.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I miss them, I do love them, I don't know if what I'm doing is right, or if I'm actually going too far.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • We were so happy together before I decided to do this (TL/DR: My parents neglected my education my whole life and constantly promised to enroll me in public school yet never did, also locked me inside and didn't let me have friends ever.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • So now I'm ignoring them until I turn 18 and enroll myself in community college, but I feel like ignoring them is the bad thing to do, since we were a happy family before.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • ETA: I forgot to add that the reason I'll talk to them again once I turn 18 is because I'll enroll MYSELF into a community college, I have zero source of income so sadly I can't move away once I do turn 18, and no jobs have contacted me back.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • I have plans for income when I turn - 18 though. I have contacted authorities many times, they won't do anything.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • extinct_diplodocus NTA. They're "protecting" you by leaving you unfit to go out in the real world. They're "homeschooling" you by teaching you nothing. You're applying pressure to get some education. It doesn't seem to be working. If you can find the right authority to complain to, you might get some outside action about this. A lot depends on where you are. Some places are really lax about this, while others have some standards that homeschooling is supposed to meet.
    via u/extinct_diplodocus
  • OP Naive Bandage Unfortunately my state has no laws on homeschooling, I've had CPS and other authorities involved, nothing. No authority seems to care about children :/
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • NTA lilolememe Your parents are failing you. You can call CPS to report your parents for educational neglect. Community college may not let you enter if you can't pass basic tests.
    via u/lilolememe
  • OP Naive Bandage CPS won't do anything, and if community college won't accept me I'll just find tutors until then
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • serioushobbit NTA. Your parents are neglectful. I wonder if you would be better off as an emancipated minor, if such a thing exists in your jurisdiction.
    via u/serioushobbit
  • OP Naive Bandage It would be 10000000000000% better, but I'd need THEM to consent to it(shockingly they won't!!)
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • fallingintopolkadots NTA. Yes your parents are doing you a huge, HUGE disservice. Have you tried going over to the public high school that you are zoned for and seeing if you can enroll yourself? I'm sure there are some general education (english, writing, different levels of math, history, etc) materials on youtube or online (a very quick google search led me to this). You can study up and work to get your GED.
    via u/fallingintopolkadots
  • OP Naive Bandage I need my parents to enroll me, I've tried doing it myself but a parent must be present. The YouTube option won't work, I've tried every method of teaching myself since like 13. I need a real human in front of me, that I can actively ask questions and get the answer. It won't work if I get on call with someone, I need it to be in real life :(
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • serioushobbit Can you pay for a tutor now? The sooner you get started, the more hopeful you will feel and the less time you will need to spend later. Alternatively, I wonder you might be able to find a volunteer tutor now. Literacy groups sometimes offer basic math tutoring as well as literacy, although possibly only to adults. Boys and Girls Clubs might also have tutoring for teenagers, and some other churches and social service groups. Ask in a reddit group for your city.
    via u/serioushobbit
  • OP Naive Bandage I have no source of income, I don't make any money at all. If I want something, I have to ask :( Also I'm not sure about trying a reddit group, meeting up with someone from reddit doesn't sound too safe I've looked for free tutors before though (last week if we wanna be exact) and I haven't had any luck. I have no clubs nearby. The Nextdoor app & maybe Facebook would be the only places where I'd have any luck but my parents are on them, and they'll see my post so that's out of t
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Comeback_321 Boys and girls clubs are for underprivileged kids who need help. You don't have to pay.
    via u/Comeback_321
  • OP Naive_Bandage How do I find one near me?
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • CNTA VineViniVici hanging your behaviour is the only thing you can control right now and I completely understand why you behave like that. Your parents are neglecting you. Denying you access to education is abuse in my book and your mums "What did I ever do to you baby?" shows she doesn't recognise what she's been doing to you. Do you have any aunts or uncles or grandparents or neighbours or any adult in your life you can trust and talk to and maybe get help from? Are your parents willing to pay
    via u/VineViniVici
  • OP Naive Bandage The only thing they'd be okay with doing is faking report cards or whatever to get me into community college..
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Exciting-Peanut-1526 Have you ever seen tangled? Kidnapped princess locked in a tower to "protect her" Your parents may be just overbearing. Or they could be hiding something from you. The only reason I can think that they wouldn't enroll you in some sort of school is because they're not supposed to have you. Do you have access to your birth certificate/social security card? Can you take a 23me? All my niblings are home schooled, and their parents had to register them still. Be careful OP. You'r
    via u/Exciting-Peanut-1526
  • OP Naive Bandage Yeah tangled is my favorite movie!! I don't think that's my case though since I look identical to my mom, just with a few of my dad's features, so I'm gonna guess that's out of the ideas. + | have photos of my mom pregnant with me, and some baby photos :) And yes, I have access to all of my own documents.
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Jaded_District7008 This just broke my heart
    via u/Jaded_District7008
  • OP Naive Bandage It's okay, I've got a plan mapped out :)
    via u/Naive_Bandage
  • Coollogin > "Please I just wanted to protect you." INFO: I get their reason for homeschooling you initially (I don't agree with them, but I follow the logic). But why do they refuse to enroll you now? Do that have other adults in their lives? Relatives, church people, friends, coworkers? Anyone who might advocate on your behalf?
    via u/Coollogin
  • OP Naive Bandage Somehow one of my parents is atheist and the other is christian, but their reasoning is they don't want me getting bullied, or to be mistreated by my teachers. (Didn't protect me from that, since they were both!!) All because my mom had a shit time in school when she was growing up :)
    via u/Naive_Bandage

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

parents of teens teens crazy things parents say public school parenting raising teens homeschooling homeschool parent Reddit Parenting Fail parents Parenting FAILS
Scroll Down For The Next Article