Help with teenage boy

[ewheeley]

It is amazing how a little bit more of the story can change the whole perspective. I can understand trying to get them motivated in school and learn what is important. I was an honor student and still am currently pursuing my Doctorate of Pharmacy but I hated geography,the only things that really stuck are the geographical regions I learned with the study of history. You might try a different approach to the lesson, straight memorization is really a pain for some people. I wasn't a real big fan of grammar either and that one has came back to bite me in the butt

Good luck kids have nothing but time she will outlast you

I'm calling amendments to the Constitution next. She'll thank you when she knows them all before she needs to for school.

 

[CHenry]

Take away the pop first of all. The absence of sugar and caffeine will change the behavior of any child by itself.
I have a little trouble getting my 13 year old to remember to do his chores also. The trash, sweeping the garage and shop, watering and feeding the horse and dogs...etc. Some of these are daily chores and the rest are weekly.
Heres how I motivated him, I drove him to downtown OKC and drove around and showed him the homeless people and he started asking questions about these people and why they were living like this. I explained in a nutshell that some of these people were just lazy, unmotivated people (others were victim of circumstance of course or drug addicts). I then reinforced the lazy thing by showing him a help wanted sign hanging on a business window - a fast food joint i think - and explained to him that these people have opportunities but they don't have the motivation or drive to do better and this is the result.
He was real quiet the rest of the time and i could tell he was thinking.
That was a few years ago and now he's 13, makes straight As (always has actually) is in Honor Band and his goal for graduation went from going to OSU to going to the Air Force Academy. He wants to be a pilot. He has been counseled by a Lt. in the Air Force about the requirements of getting into the academy and he knows how difficult it will be (must be recommended by the Gov. etc) but hes not at all dissuaded by that, he's full steam ahead. I couldn't be more proud.
Did I mention we have always taught him that sugar is bad for us and he never eats sugary foods (other than birthday cake once a year).

 

[vvvvvvv]

I'm calling amendments to the Constitution next. She'll thank you when she knows them all before she needs to for school.

You don't need to in public school.

 

[JP0212]

It is amazing how a little bit more of the story can change the whole perspective. I can understand trying to get them motivated in school and learn what is important. I was an honor student and still am currently pursuing my Doctorate of Pharmacy but I hated geography,the only things that really stuck are the geographical regions I learned with the study of history. You might try a different approach to the lesson, straight memorization is really a pain for some people. I wasn't a real big fan of grammar either and that one has came back to bite me in the butt

Good luck kids have nothing but time she will outlast you

I was a Kinesiology major and my wife was a Psychology major, so we have both taken some learning and development classes. You are definitely correct about some learning differently than others. We have been trying different methods to get her to learn them, including the Animaniacs video The reason I started taking away things was because she wasn't even attempting to learn them, because she didn't care. Her attitude about it is want caused that to happen. As for her outlasting me, won't happen. I am one of the most stubborn SOB's this side of the Mississippi.

I'm calling amendments to the Constitution next. She'll thank you when she knows them all before she needs to for school.

Whether she needs them for school or not, she will learn them. I am doing states and capitols first because they will be relevent when we learn the American Revolutionary and Civil wars.

 

[Buzzdraw]

My four formerly teenage sons all survived to become 20+ years old; somehow I survived too. Early teenage boys are often slobs, with their room resembling the landfill. Even the most slovenly has become much neater as they aged. Unfortunately a couple were in their 20's before this epiphany occurred.

Spend all the time you can with your kids while they are at this age. You'll be amazed at the positive influence it makes, even if you can't tell at this point.

Yes, I had the no-pop, no-food rule for bedrooms too. No, it didn't always get followed by kids. Smelly pizza under the bed or ants crawling on them when they are trying to sleep has a therapeutic effect.

 

[n423]

Spend all the time you can with your kids while they are at this age. You'll be amazed at the positive influence it makes, even if you can't tell at this point..

Good advice, it really works.