My son is 16 and high functioning. He knows he’s different and that he scares people off. It makes him depressed and even though he’s on medication, he’s beyond frustrated with life. He wants friends desperately but doesn’t know how to attract them. We try to get him involved in things but he’s very particular and there isn’t much that he’s into. He’s put in job applications but hasn’t heard anything yet. Hopefully a job will open things up for him.

My son was homeschooled and I think it is a great idea if you can do it. I really liked Oak Meadows because they had really hands on interesting activities but only if she can do a full day of school work. There are also state virtual schools and they accommodate special needs and it's free. Now my son is going part time to college online. I am grateful for the option to use virtual schools. Also, Wilostar 3D has your child make an avatar and go to "class" with the other children and it looks like a video game for those kids who love their computer games!

Last year we were in the same downward spiral with my son. He is in middle school and was very depressed too. He is verbal, but has a very hard time communicating his feelings. My son want to be accepted and "popular" too. We found him an amazing counselor that he goes to weekly and we changed schools to an online school. We went through several online schools before we found the perfect one. His school is so accepting of his needs and all of the kids accept him. He has lots of friends at school now. This particular school is nation wide and has lots of group activities and face to face trips and events. Other online schools didn't have that and he was feeling even more isolated. It sounds like she feels very alone and has no friends. Make sure that the online school has activities and events where she can socialize.

Hi ReinsMom, you're in tune with your daughter, that's great! You know best, go with your gut feeling and homeschool her, if anything maybe you'll put the spark back in her again, maybe a year or 2 down the line she'll want to go back to public school. Good luck!

I have Aspergers. I HATED school. Being different is always noticed. No matter how little the difference is. I had some friends but I didn't fully mature until I hit Jr year of high school. Then everything just clicked one day. It was strange. But I would ask her what she would like to do first. Having something outside of school may help. Clubs, people she can meet that are kinda like her. "Nerd" were my best friends. but if not that, maybe see how a year of virtual school goes. It's not like you can re-enroll her in public again. She is probably getting bullied. I did. It takes its toll.