Tell him the ged tests are a lot harder & that the ged costs money and takes 3 to 4 years to complete. That’s what i told my boy in his senior year . He stayed in school and is an electrician now
One son graduated and walked the stage. Another took his GED and passed. They made their choice both are successful. If you push to hard it could be tragic.
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Never let that happen.
Can he do a school based traineeship while at school wil helo decide what he wants to do my daughters are the same
I left at 15 worked all my life went to college 3 Times and have raised and raising 5 kids now working 8 years straight in Aged care:+1:
GED and High school diploma are not the same. In life you don’t take short cuts, work hard for a good life and as parents it’s our job to push our kids to be the best they can be.
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Do you have any sort of prep schools in your community? You might want to check it out. Ultimately you’re the parent & your job is to prepare him for the real world. Most of high school is simply too academic.
As a mom of 5 who has homeschooled and also used public school id ask these questions… what is his reasoning? What is his plan? Do you feel he will follow thru? Does he want to stop going to school to play video games and sleep in or is he, in the words of my daughter…“too much drama in high school, i just want to get moving along in my educational goals” if he has a plan and usually makes good choices id say let him take the lead. Days of brick and mortar institutions are becomes a thing of the past. There are soooo many other ways to get from point A to point B… i get, you want to see him walk the stage. It was a proud moment for me as well but keep in mind there are other ways to celebrate this milestone. Janice Parker ahhhhh we dont agree but i still love you!! Hahaaha
This i might add is a really good debate
Let him get his GED and then go to college. I wish I had done that
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Honestly, that’s my goal. Get her far enough ahead to graduate early or get her GED. Hight school is over rated. Finishing up as homeschooled may be an option too.
I actually have a friend from HS who dropped out and got his GED as soon as he was accepted to college.
He will go to university and get 1, 2 and probably 3 chances to wear a cap and gown. Find out why he wants to leave school.
He is problaby bore at school is more importante going to collegue than a gown and cap before he quit all school let it have the ged os better than nothing
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I let my daughter go to Christian homeschooling program where she had to go to take tests each week. She graduated a year early and walked with the fulltime students there for graduation ceremony and was very successful in college. Graduated from a top college. Choose a good structured homeschool program with Abeka.
16 year olds want a lot of stupid shit. I wanted a tattoo and my mom didn’t let me and I’m so thankful that she was there to guide me and held her ground in guiding me in the right direction. It’s our jobs as parents to be that guide. I wouldn’t allow my son to do this, but I would also try to figure out if there is an underlying problem that is making him feel this way so maybe we can fix it.
GED grads do have a ceremony if they choose to attend…
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Everyone pays their dues… get your butt to school. Make a meeting with one the counselors and principal and make sure you have the proper information whether he stays or does online courses or transfers to an outside city course… But do not let then just drop it unless there is a plan in place…
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My youngest is like this…I would be grateful to anyone who has ideas for us parents.
Are you concerned about the logic of his plan or are you concerned with missing photo ops and milestones that he may not feel are as important as his sentimental mom may? Because the advice isn’t the same for each.
At some point the best thing we can do as a parent is allowing our children to use the tools we’ve given them for themselves. If you agree with his goals and support his plans, why not follow through? GED offers ceremony same as high school will.
If you’re only against it because of the ceremony, but think otherwise this would be a good and reasonable option for him, your concerns are more for yourself, and not for him. Most students don’t put the weight on the pomp and circumstance that their parents do, and could live without it.
Just like college isn’t for every student and some excel in trade schools instead, high school isn’t always the place for an advanced student to flourish either. Both of you should sit down with his academic advisor and discuss his goals as a unit.
My son came to me and told me he wanted to drop out I’m like why he’s like these guys want to jump me in a gang and I don’t want to be in it .I’m like well tell them he’s like mom no u don’t tell them if they want you your in …I don’t want that so I told him ok but you will work …he worked found a girl had kids worked got married got his GED went to HVAC school note he’s good I’m proud of my son one for telling me the truth and two because he made himself something a career a good job …listen to your son something might not be right at school…
I’ve told mine when they are 16 or 17 schools will let them drop out and nothing I can do about it but… if you decide to drop out, you will either go for your G.E.D and work a part time job or you will work a full time job and help pay the bills or you can leave my house.
He’s probably bored with high school. And I mean that as in he’s not being challenged enough, he’s too smart for what high school has to offer him, his teachers can’t keep him interested because he’s outgrown their knowledge. I knew someone in college that dropped out of HS immediately got his GED then went straight into college then went to law school. So it’s not as terrible as you think it is. Why don’t you try to figure out ways for him to be put in an accelerated program so he can graduate high school early, make a meeting with school officials and what not and figure it out. If you don’t he’s going to get bored and not apply himself.
YOU want him to graduate so YOU can see him in a gown and graduate. 
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If he can immediately start working on his GED then let him…HS isn’t for everyone …his a good good student …he’ll do better in college…it’s not like he is a truant…the more you force the issue …you might create problems where there were none…
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Honestly he’s probably bored and highschool is horrible. If I were you I’d let him graduate early with the GED and start college. You sound like a good mama and raised him right. He sounds like a mature young man. Let him take the lead on his life. Besides in two years it’s the number 18 birthday that can have him choose things without your permission or approval. But make it known he needs to get it done and start college right after. Set some conditions.
She doesn’t really say why he doesn’t want to finish high school. Is there a bullying issue? I mean having the high school experience is a lifelong memory. Clearly he’s not happy for some reason, but she is the Mom, & if she wants him to graduate then she calls the shots. He doesn’t get to. It’s neither right or wrong of her. It’s just the way it is. Respect for your Mama.
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I would ask why. Jobs will also ask why. At what age can you attend college or is that a thing? I dropped out in 10th grade due to a car accident I had to be home schooled, the teacher did not turn in my work and the school could never get intouch with her. I got my GED right after made no difference to me I was done with school 2 years before my class.
Online schooling… You can talk to a counselor at the school about it… Online schooling is nice because you can do assignments when you want… You might have to attend a school meeting once a week at a library for an hour which is nice to ask questions during that time…
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I took online schooling courses to finish out senior year… I liked it… And i still graduated with the class on graduation day…
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Is he being bullied? My daughter was bullied all through school. She dropped out this year and is going for her GED. Maybe he’s protecting his own mental health like my daughter did. Their path is not our choice. Their choices are their own.
High school is horrible. I would look into finding an alternative, somewhere he can work at his own pace and graduate as fast or as slow as he wants. He would be better off getting his diploma. GED is considered lazy in this world. Now don’t get me wrong I am not bashing the GED. That is what I have.
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Perhaps home schooling would be better for him?? I would not suggest allowing him to drop out it’s a bad idea.
He will certainly have a college cap and gown ceremony…let him
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I graduated at 16. Tell him to take summer school twice. That’s all he needs. He won’t see his senior year.
Just as long as he gets a diploma… online … GED … good luck 
Let him! My daughter did exactly that. She is now an IT tech for government! Best thing she could have done! As long as he gets ged and goes to college!
You get to walk with a cap and gown with if he’s smart ged will be a breeze they score higher than high school students anyways it’s not a bad thing then he’ll be on his way to college at 17-18 make money money at 23-25 my son is wanting to do the same thing their 16 let’s see what they are made of if they think they can let’s let them getting a ged is as good as finishing high school
Encourage him to stay in school don’t allow him to drop out I remember there was a time I wanted to drop out when I was his age but my mom wouldn’t let me and I graduated and it made me feel so proud of myself my high school graduation day was one of the best days of my life I felt so good I’m now in college and am trying to get a good job if he drops out he’ll probably work in McDonald’s for the rest of his life or some low level job you want your child to succeed and be happy
On line high school diploma. Better then a ged.
I have never seen so much support for quitting school because the kid didnt want to go.
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You can’t unless he wants to. When you’re ready to leave n are forced to stay you lose all interest n don’t try. Let him do what he wants where study is concerned, he can always go back later.
Ask the school if he can test out and walk with his class, he needs some unclear amount of credits to graduate, when I was in school it was 32. If he has the credits needed already why can’t he graduate?
Support him all the way
My sister dropped out of high school when she was 15. She’s 18 now. Don’t let him do it. He’s so close. Getting your GED will take way more effort than staying in school.
Look up job corp. See if he may be better fit from that program
Sometimes the programs at school are not challeging enough. My daughter got pregnant her Senior year she was so sick she couldnt attend so she got her GED before her class graduated. We did attend.My point she has two kids two day and is a traveling Phlebotomist! Encourage him to get the GED. Futher his college education. He is not quitting, he wants more. Have him a get together to celebrate. Put his picture with certificate in paper or today Social Media. Be proud of him. And keep being a Real mama!
He’s probably bored in school and needs a challenge talk to teachers
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Most US high schools have programs that overlap with community college and the student can graduate with an AA degree along with a high school diploma. If he’s headed toward college anyway, he may as well go now.
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Check to make sure there isn’t anything else that has resulted in this decision. Smart kids do get targeted for bullying
I would make him wait until he’s 17. 4/10 16 year olds probably want to drop out. Unless he’s in danger his butt would be in school.
Our frustrations & disappointments are due to unrealistic and confining expectations.
An age waiver for the GED test isn’t always an easier thing to get without good, proven reason why to he minor can’t finish high school. Maybe try online school where he can just get it done and graduate faster.
How iw this even a question??? He’s 16. Stay in school. There is no but… or ifs… about it. Parents these days just let their damn kids walk all over them. Get it together parents. Your house, your rules.
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Well… id take everything out of their room… just matress and small blanket… sorry no supper… no toys ect… oh you think in real life all that shit is free and handed to you…hmmm… get a job… oh wait no one will hire you…no education…
Sorry i parent… be an adult. If they get a small job… perfect start charging rent… how fast they will see life isnt free or cheap…and how education even just high school helps
. You are not the friend you are the parent.
Talk to his guidance counselor about all of his options. See if they will offer him an acceleration program to graduate early instead. Summer classes, maybe double up on required classes if he can handle that and not having study halls. Electives are nice but not necessary. A few students in my high school did it, they walked a year ahead of their class and still had an actual high school diploma instead of a ged. Also see if there is an online program he could apply for.
Make him a deal, he has to go to regular school and study the GED book in the evening and when he passes the test he can do as he pleases. Either he will graduate with his class or pass his GED either way WIN!! You want to see him graduate He just wants to be successful.
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Why not allow him to Homeschool and have him take classes at a community college? For some kids they way school is set up is not right for them. If he is self motivated and it sounds like he is. Allow him to enroll in an online HS and/ or take classes at a community college. I’ve actually known plenty of teens that have gone that route.
I would hate to be a 16 year old in school now home school him or let him go on line .
My sons didn’t have a choice whether. My rule if they didn’t want to go on to college, fine but you’re going to finish high school.
I wish one of my kids even thought they were bold enough to even tell me they wanted to drop out of school, I would’ve beat some sense in them real quick
Every thought he’s just bored? Maybe this would be the best for him.