I agree that the new issue brought up is more significant than the socialization one unless you have an extremely social child that needs that level of interaction daily. I know for us, my DS and I BUTTED heads every. single. day when he was at school. Homework took 2hrs or more for 1st grade. I would get anxious knowing it was time for him to get off the bus. Then I had to deal w/ tears and anxiety about going the school next day and how boring and dull and "I thought you go to school to learn?" questions. For us, HSing relieved all that stress. We hit the road running. WE later developed a whole another issue.....after about 4months of figuring out where he was academically, I began challenging him and he started missing math questions and his ego/self-esteem couldn't handle it and he shut down for over 2months. After that it was a tough rest of the year. But you know what, I see these issues, not as ones to return him to school (although I threatened him with it often) but one of helping him to deal with these issues. There are/were many times I wish I could just be mom and not teacher and pass the buck to someone else but that is just not to be. It's hard a job.
I like the contract idea. Talk to your DD and DH. Map out objectives for the year. Write up a contract and everyone sign it. If it doesn't work out, you can always send her back to school. Honestly, it took half way through our 2nd year of HSing to feel I was in the groove.
One thing that stuck with me .... I read on the WTM board that often issues HSers have when starting out, are issues that were there before HSing. But with the kid being away from home so much of the day, there was less time/chances of interaction for the problem to occur and less time/inclination for dealing with it properly. A friend's son was having HUGE behavioral issues. There wasn't enough time at the end of the day to deal with it. With HSing, she had the time to deal with the issues in a controlled situation and the kid is like a different person now. My point is, sometimes we don't deal w/ issues when they are in school, issues we should deal with ... b/c there is no time, HSing can afford you that time.
Would your DD be more responsive to your DH? I know a friend whose DH checks over the work in the evenings, discusses what DC learned that day, gets apprised of any behavioral issues that occurred that day and that helps w/ any issues.
And no decision is final.....you can always send her back unless you run the risk of losing a magnet spot as my friend did when she chose to HS.
