this is a different age issue, but I welcome suggestions - we were all teens once and I'm struggling. My twin 8th graders just wrapped up Q4 at school and both of their grades sucked. (#1: F in English, 3 D's, a C and a B in PE; #2: an F (41!!!!) in business ed; 3 Ds, 2 C's.) They don't turn in half of what's assigned to them and what they do turn in is late, so almost all of the grades are due to 0s (missing work) and 50s (late work). They are not bad or dumb kids - just unmotivated. They don't hang out with the wrong crowd and they don't use drugs. They are capable of doing their work and have been tested for ADHD, etc. Assuming no medical issues, how does one go about giving a 14 year old a metaphorical kick in the butt so that he starts trying harder in school? I have tried so many things....taking away electronics, privileges, etc.
Among the ideas I am seriously now considering for the summer are:
- not letting them go to summer camp for 2 weeks, which they love
- they would sleep in the backyard in a tent in their sleeping bags - they would be allowed to get back in the house for a night by serving others, whether it's mowing our elderly neighbor's lawn or working at the soup kitchen or doing serious chores at our house
- no "fun" books unless they have earned it as noted above...only the 9th grade reading list is allowed
- summer school, although summer school options seem limited
- work: I will help them write a letter, to be delivered to every house within 4 blocks, offering to mow their grass weekly this summer for free or for pay. I will follow up with my own letter to the same houses, explaining what we're trying to accomplish and offering to supervise the work so that the boys will learn the value of their effort and how to do a good job on something the first time.
- taking them on a tour of a military academy or boarding school
- hiring a tutor for the summer to work with them on organizational skills and math (where they do struggle) - they have been getting math tutoring for several years now already.
Hopefully you see the idea. I'm not trying to be cruel and I will be encouraging and loving throughout, but they need something drastic to see that this is a serious problem. Any ideas? Any chance any of you were once there? Thanks all.