Teenager - Bad Grades - Leave School Early?

[Pandora]

Man I just lost a long reply!

....
It's not just her grades, she has been drinking, smoking dope and putting herself into dangerous situations by sneaking out at night, getting into trucks with boys/men and not coming home till 4am....

Is this only happening in the US or was it happening here as well? Obvioulsy all of these things will be affecting her grades, as apart from anything else it sounds like she barely sleeps if she is out all night. I wish every kid who smokes dope could meet my friend "mike" and see what effect it can have one people. All of these need to be taken out of the equation if you want to put your suggested plan into action (re the agreed marks, C's or whatever)

What do you think? I really don't think it's worth her wasting her own or her teachers time for much longer if she's going to get across the board Fs and I think a taste of the real world might do her good. Afterall, she can go back to school later once she's worked out that perhaps she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life working at KFC...

That could work, as long as you think she's actually going to make that decision, and not decide that hey I'm getting paid now, why would I go back to school? Some people are happy in those kind of jobs. Some because they really dont want to do anything else, and others beceause they dont know what other opportunities are out there for them, or don't believe in themsleves enough to try.

It sounds like she may have low self esteem, do you think so, after her stay with you? Her behaviours suggest it thats all. This too will affect her whole attitude to life, family school etc.

Sorry if I am telling you how to suck eggs here, I am sure a lot of this you have thought about already. I just know that as a depressed 16 year old who DID have the academics I nearly wasted it all becuase I all but convinced myself that I couldnt do it and I wasnt worth it anyway.
It took a friend who's life was significantly worse than my own to 'tell it like it is' with some home truths about me and my life for me to take notice. So it may be that she needs to hear it from someone outside her family situation?