Brother progress log (formerly: My brother just tried to commit suicide)

[(´・ω・`)]

At 9:10 PM EST today, my brother tried to commit suicide by stabbing a butcher's knife into his heart. He did this in hopes that, if his parents saw him willing to go to such lengths, he'd no longer be in public school. I need help, but because of my brother's prior school refusal, please don't contact the authorities. He might go to see a psychiatrist soon, so that's something. Just please, help me.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[brainiac3397]

o_0

A bit gruesome way to attempt suicide, especially since stabbing one's self in the heart requires good aim(due to the presence of ribs) and is also pretty damn painful.

Painful attempts at suicide tend to signal some strong meaning, rather than just being a way to end ones life. Your brother must REALLY REALLY hate public school to go to this length.

It is quite disappointing that it requires such drastic measures to get people to bother listening to you(though at the cost of your own mental and physical well-being)

[James Comey]

At this point, I'd suggest trying to find some sort of alternative education. If your brother hates school that much, it's clear that something must change.

[(´・ω・`)]

Well actually, his parents didn't listen, but my mother was absolutely traumatized by it, and my father is trying to ward off these "spirits of suicide" at every oppurtunity. In any case, my brother won't attempt something like that anytime soon now, since he's come to his senses.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[(´・ω・`)]

And in reply to you Hansgrohe, yes, something must change, and something must change quickly. Or we will see events that will make MY near-death experience, seem almost quaint, practically nostalgic.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[James Comey]

Actually, to be honest, I've found that a psychologist sometimes helps in more ways than one. Considering I didn't have many friends and the only person that was really competent enough to actually listen to me was my sister, I found that having someone listen to your problems really does help, even if it's their job. It's really not healthy at all to keep all those bad emotions in you. I know that, I learned that the hard way.

[(´・ω・`)]

I agree with everything you said, Hansgrohe. Actually, it may be prudent to point out, that my de-facto "education" for the last year, has been on education, and psychology, with occasional bursts of video gaming in between. But yes, I recommend sending him to a clinical psychologist, although this may open up the medical system to his truancy, and my religious father might have serious reservations about it.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[brainiac3397]

Oh boy. The religious zealot who believes in superstition. Always the fun one in a group.

[(´・ω・`)]

Yeah. That's why I like having conversations with him and being around him. Although to be fair, I'm fairly religious myself. But not religious enough to take refuge and counsel in stupidity like that.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[brainiac3397]

My father is a bit superstitious. Also bit of a conspiracy theorist. Makes for good conversations, even if I don't believe some of what he says

[Subb]

Getting a therapist is a must.

Do you know if he's being bullied? As much of a hell pubic school is, I can't imagine anyone being driven to suicide by it alone. No offense.

[(´・ω・`)]

SubCulture, I honestly don't know if he's being bullied. He's asleep right now, but I'll ask him tomorrow. Although his frequent illness, the idiocy of the institution, and the fact that I'm free from the shackles of public school. And as for getting a therapist, my father get's to decide such things, not me.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[(´・ω・`)]

Sorry, I meant that the reasons that he's resisting are probably unrelated to bullying.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[154bmag]

If he hates school so much, then step 1 is get him out of there. At any cause

[(´・ω・`)]

Unfortunately, I don't have the ultimate authority on that. My father does. But because of religious reasons, and that he fears the alternative (spending time home with his mother) will be even worse. True, she can be a real pain, but it's still infinitely better to keep him home, than to siphon him off to school like obedient little slaves.

--Ivo (real names not posted)

[SoulRiser]

What country are you in? Is online school an option? Or even some kind of private school.

What is it about school that he hates so much? Would a different one be better? Check the links below this post for info on alternatives.

You're here... do you think your brother would find it helpful to talk to us here as well perhaps?

[(´・ω・`)]

I'm in the United States of America, specifically Michigan, so I know homeschooling and even liberal unschooling is perfectly legal and reputable. He's been quite insistent, that like me, he becomes an unschooler, and ONLY an unschooler. And yeah, I think my brother getting an account here so that he can explain himself would be quite beneficial. Just give me some time to arrange all of the emails and stuff like that. And finally, sorry for the late reply, I just got up 5 minutes ago.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[SoulRiser]

Wait, he's your brother, and you're unschooling but he's not? How'd that come about?

[BerylRipper]

This is my brother's new account, by the way. I had numerous medical problems while in middle school, and my father, being the deeply concerned and gullible man he is, decided to take me out until the problems were resolved. But eventually, he decided that it would just be better to have me unschooling. I *almost* went back into school at the beginning of 2013, but the "doctors diagnosis for everything, upto and including access to the bathrooms" thing kept me out by sheer repulsion of my father. This, by the way, is when I signed up on School Survival, having barely even known of homeschooling up to that point.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[BerylRipper]

My brother said "I nearly committed suicide and they're not even considering taking me out of school."

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[xcriteria]

What are their reasons for not considering that option?

Would it help if he had an alternative plan for learning?

What are his interests, preferred ways of learning, what's he like in general?

[(´・ω・`)]

My mother thinks that homeschooling will set you up for failure in life, and my father is deathly afraid of her. As for if it would help to have an alternative plan for learning, yes, yes it would. His interests are Minecraft, video gaming, YouTube, typical 11-year-old stuff, but without any of the sports or socializing. He likes learning through video games, Khan Academy, and not much else. As for how he is, he's an 11-year-old with no interests besides indoor activities, and is quite annoying to be locked up with for 12 hours straight. Hey, it's my opinion, not his.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[xcriteria]

I'm developing alternative ways for people to learn, with the question of "how to do well in life" as a big part of it. One of the approaches I'm looking at is how to combine game and story mechanics into real-life learning and interaction.

Stories can be a good way to learn. You can explore stories and learn about the various ways people's lives play out. There are many different possibilities.

For example, take your mom's view of homeschooling. In practice, many homeschoolers do quite well in life. In a lot of cases, they go onto college. And these days, a lot of people (like me) are even asking how to remake college to be more relevant to life... especially when so much of the content of college is available for free online.

In contrast, school itself, especially if one can't stand it, isn't by itself going to guarantee any particular kind of success. In short, there are plenty of examples either way.

I think the big question is how you can use your time effectively.

One criticism people sometimes give homeschooling is that people don't necessarily get the same socialization as in school. However, there generally are many ways to go about socializing, from various programs and classes in your community to the Internet. (Of course, be careful online and all that, but the world also has a lot of interesting people to connect with.)

How about some kind of remote school or coaching? There are a few ways to set that up.

"quite annoying" -- so, what would the scenario be if he did unschool? You'd be at home with him? Could you be his teacher or coach?

Maybe he could discover some new interests.

And, what about you? What are your interests, and plans for the future? How do you use your time?

[(´・ω・`)]

Thank you for the post, xcriteria. Unfortunately, it's too big in scope for me to address in a single post, so I'm going to address each of your questions individually, in their own posts.

--Ivo (real name not disclosed)

[(´・ω・`)]

Update on the situation: We went for Wednesday night services at Mountain Top Church, and my father said prayers to reconcile my mother. He also prayed, that he wanted to take my brother out of school, but he just wanted to receive divine confirmation for whatever he does.

Anyways, that's all for now.

--Ivo (real names not disclosed)

[brainiac3397]

Divine confirmation?

A little "magic" in the middle of the night could help. You'll need some REALLY white robes, the robes need to be lined(in the inside) with REALLY bright-but-soft white light(it could get hot in there, so you may want some wide robe). A fake but passable white beard(the light should be blinding enough to make it difficult to see), some white wings and a scroll giving the confirmation. Then have someone else, who should be assisting you, knock him out a powerful tranquilizer. Leave the scroll.

You can add booming sound effects to help.

And on a serious note, you can't just leave something to God and wipe your hands of it. Waiting for "divine confirmation", while I'm not a doubter of such things, for something as infinitesimal doesn't sound efficient. In the end I'm sure God expects humans to think for themselves, or we wouldn't be able to think and have free will.

[(´・ω・`)]

And now to address each of your points individually, xcriteria.

Quote:I'm developing alternative ways for people to learn, with the question of "how to do well in life" as a big part of it. One of the approaches I'm looking at is how to combine game and story mechanics into real-life learning and interaction.

As far as I see it, that's a very good idea. If you need someone to brainstorm, brainwash, and debate with, call me.

[(´・ω・`)]

Second point now to be addressed.

Quote:Stories can be a good way to learn. You can explore stories and learn about the various ways people's lives play out. There are many different possibilities.

Especially if the narrator says things in the right tone, it opens up infinite possibilites as far as learning and absorbing go. Our parents want us to be knowledge sponges, right? Well, this is a good way to accomplish it. And as for how this might tie in to my brother's education, you can use him as a guinea pig for this approach.

[(´・ω・`)]

Third point hot and fresh out of the oven.

Quote:For example, take your mom's view of homeschooling. In practice, many homeschoolers do quite well in life. In a lot of cases, they go onto college. And these days, a lot of people (like me) are even asking how to remake college to be more relevant to life... especially when so much of the content of college is available for free online.

Yeah, we need her to keep calm long enough so that she can actually see these arguments for what they are. In any case, my father has the ultimate say on what's going to happen to my brother, not her. And as for remaking college, give me a call. We should plan something.

[(´・ω・`)]

Fourth post now processing.

Quote:I think the big question is how you can use your time effectively.

I can definitely use my time effectively, and it's a skill my brother ought to practice. In any case, it's the interests and content that my brother uses effectively, not neccesarily his time. Being burdened too much by Mom and all of that smooth jazz.