No father in my house :) would let a 13 yr old daughter go to a college environment, even if she were living at home.
Take a home schooled kid who is 17 and toss him into a school with 20,000 kids it could get overwhelming. Now do that with a 13 year old.
Being smart and being mature are two different things.
no kidding..though I would let her go to convent school.
Mr. B, please give consideration to our experience.
Yes, obviously, a teen is always safest in their own home, but, think about the danger of attending a typical suburban high school. Compared to going to high school, there is far less danger at from other students, and teachers at the community college or close by university. Why?
1) A 13 year old can't drive, and there is no school bus service to the local community college. There is no sexual or physical school bus harassment. They will not be taking rides from other immature high school students who are inexperienced drivers and may be drinking or using drugs.
2) The mom or dad has to wait while they take their classes and take them home. Not only does the 13 year old know that mom or dad's presence is nearby but so does every potential predator from teachers, students, office personnel, and janitor. Even if the parent isn't there 100% of the time, they can and do show up at any time. In the common high school, it is rare to have the parents present at any time at all except for special events and parent-teacher conferences.
3) Obviously, a 13 year old will be unique on campus. This means that the responsible members of the community, which is just about everyone, will be somewhat vigilant about the safety of the 13 year old and potential predators know this. In high school they are part of the anonymous blob.
4) Students attending college are generally more responsible, disciplined, and are **older**, with more life experience than a high schooler. Just by being in college, they are generally from that group of citizens who are more disciplined. These students do indeed have more impulse control than the typical high schooler. They have likely heard about and understand the serious implications of statutory rape. The common high schooler is younger, has less impulse control, less life experience, and has far ** fewer** **adult** eyes watching him. The typical high schooler knows that mom and dad are not anywhere near by to interfere with any nefarious plan of his.
5) The average age at the community college was near 30. They are **not** interested in a 13 year old. Also...The 13 year thinks anyone over 15 is **OLD**!!
6) In their personal lives the 13 year old will be involved in typical 13 year old stuff: ballet recitals, church, birthday parties with friends, scouts, YMCA basketball...etc.
7) While we attended many wonderful university programs together as a family, we recognized that the typical experience of being independent on campus would be as graduate school students.
( Not proof read.)