How do I approach my teens bad grades?

END the social media!!!
She is living the online life not reality. END the social media!!!

She’s obviously not doing “great” on her meds if she has no motivation and doesn’t care about anything. Her meds may be preventing her from a manic high, but they’re not helping the lows. She needs therapy and a proper psychiatrist to adjust her meds.

2 Likes

Is she depressed? Maybe need to talk to her Dr.
It Could be numerous things and most people write off as lazy. Horomone embalance. Depression.
Before I read the end my thoughts went to depression. I was that 16 year old girl 10 years ago.
Don’t give up on her. :pleading_face: I also have bipolar 2, depression, BPD, and I.E.D…
It takes time, years, counseling, and a good listener and educator to level out some things.

Her medication may need to be reevaluated her milligrams may need to be increased speak with her doctor first I’m also bipolar and I’ve been taking medication for years and you still have up and down episodes and for me I have more Downs than I do UPS and when I get down I get down I have no motivation to do anything which is very difficult for me because I’m also OCD have sensory overload and have anxiety so she may have more things going on than what has been evaluated or need a medication adjustment.

Bring this all up to her doctor.

1 Like

Nothing motivates a kid like taking away their electronics.

Sounds like she’s depressed. Get her into therapy.

Turn the internet off and take the phone that’s that

2 Likes

If shes battling something mentally, talk to her, get her in counseling, do things that she enjoys with her. Even if its just painting nails or makeup. Is she going to school? My daughter is going through these things. She was always with stomach ache and headache. After multiple procedures, nothing was found and her specialist recommended anxiety treatment. I had to take her out of public then private school and put her in online school. (She said she was being bullied) Put her in counseling and encourage her to be her own unique person. I didn’t take her phone away because that’s been the only way for her to come out of her shell. It’s been hard work and tons of prayer to get her to succeed in anything but she is slowly getting there.
Best of luck Mama!

My daughter was the same way from 14-17. Was never a good student and high school was the worst.
We relocated to another state, got her into therapy,got enrolled her in a charter school.
Flash forward, she is now 20 with a f/t job with the city, moved out 3 months ago and just made honor roll in college.

1 Like

Maybe Depression or adhd. Girls tend to be inattentive instead of hyperactive with adhd n it makes doing things you don’t want to do feel like torture.

:roll_eyes:umm stop approaching and set expectations! :deaf_woman: no passing grades no privledges… pretty simple.:woman_facepalming:

2 Likes

She sounds like my daughter who has ADHD combined type with ODD and a multitude of other things. She sounds like she needs an medication change and she also sounds depressed. I suggest therapy and medication changes

Is there a chance there’s dyslexia, or another learning disability that’s been overlooked as laziness?
So many teens skate thru school without truly knowing how to read, write or compute math. It’s embarrassing to them, so they hide behind bad behavior & boredom.

Could also explain the fear of driving.
Might be something to look into.

I would start by having her take a break from the Internet . If she isn’t motivated bc she is too busy talking to her online friends I would take her away from that . Sounds like maybe she is being influenced by people online so get her back on track without the internet .

2 Likes

My teen(17 yrs)has dep you should look into this he sounds similar. Weve started seeing Drs hes driving alot now. Express concern with your Dr they know the quests to ask her. Dep can take a physical/cogn toll on you its not just being sad

No internet. No phone. Absolutely not

1 Like

Hey, we need fast food workers too, they can eventually move up as far as they eant

I left my daughter alone and let her deal with it. She is the one that will have to deal with staying back. Just leave her be and see what happens.

My first thought was depression. Second thought is take “online” capabilities away. If it’s not directly related to school, no online activities. No phone or internet till no f’s. Regardless of what society thinks, a phone is NOT a necessity. It’s a convenience. Can’t make someone help themselves but don’t have to enable undesired behavior. There are numerous part time jobs available these days; fast food, grocery stores, hardware stores.

4 Likes

Ask her doctor if the medication could be messing with her motivation and could be causing or presenting depression symptoms

It sounds like depression to me. A total lack of motivation even for things like driving. The meds might have improved things from where they were before but I would revisit the therapy and med situation to see if things can be improved more still.

Is she depressed, ill and you aren’t aware, dealing with a social situation? Could she see a counselor?

Id advise a medication review before anything else.
If she’s not interested in school what about a trade school instead. Not every young person is academically minded .
For all we stress about them…they somehow manage to make a life for themselves…ask her what she wants to do then let her make her own plan. If you take away her only source of interaction with others…it might work but she may just down tools altogether.
Yes she has to do something with her life but work with her not against her…she’s 16 yo not a child

Take away the damn car and the internet. Tf. Why the hell would you reward your daughter for bad grades?

1 Like

Honestly… I think it’s a lot of these kids now. I think social skills are less because they have used the internet. And especially these kids 14-17 , with the pandemic and really doing everything online. It’s setback their maturity level.
With the grades, gotta stay on them. Teens will try and get away with what they think they can. Consequences.
As for Driving… no one should be talking about driving til grades are better… but both my 16 year olds are in no rush to drive. Blows my mind because I couldn’t wait to get away at that age. They would rather play video games online with friends.
As they get older snd more mature, they will realize there’s so much out in the world and you can do things with friends in real life.

2 Likes

I’d put her in thearpy because meds a lone aren’t enough sometimes. If she is already then you need to get a second opinion or switch therapists. It’s a sign she is struggling with probably depression.

2 Likes

Sounds like depression along with the bipolar disorder. Leaving her be? She’s only 16, switch therapists if she’s seeing one. Take away the online friends temporarily too, bad grades means no rewards.

2 Likes

She has taken too much to social media that she is probably forgetting priorities and responsibilities. Other than getting her diagnosed by a doctor, why not send her to a ranch and learn how to actually have chores and get back to reality?

Sounds like depression. Get her a therapist. And remember some medications have side effects that include depression especially for bipolar, anxiety, ADHD…etc.

1 Like

Mental health is more important than grades. Yes i know grades are important thats not what I’m saying, just making a statement is all i mean no harm

2 Likes

A lot of this is out of your control. Which is why it’s so hard because as a parent we want to fix any problems our kiddos may encounter, however…there’s only so much you can do, and the rest is going to play out. You’ve taught her right from wrong but a lot, they must learn for themselves. You can’t actually make her feel certain ways about things.
In saying all that, your concerns here are very valid and I think there’s a lot of great advice here. I have not raised a teenager; have only been one.
Educate and empathize. Good luck mama :heart:

1 Like

As the straight-A older sister… man my younger sister fits this to a T. She says as an adult she wished there was less focus on her grades and that my parents had taken more time to help her find out what she actually likes to do. Photography? Join a club or something. Animals? Volunteer at a shelter. Comparisons are crushing but your daughter has non-academic strengths she might not even be aware of. School isn’t for everyone, is there a trade that she might be interested in, something where she can excel and thrive? Just a few thoughts. It took my sister a long time to find her place in the world because it WASN’T in academia but as being a chef.

10 Likes

Bipolar and depression aside it’s not an excuse for negligent behavior. The works isn’t going to care about her bipolar and depression it sure as hell don’t give a crap about mine. If she don’t want to do anything she don’t get anything because when she hits the real world nobody is going to give anything to her. No Cellphone and access to computers is for school work only while she it at home. If she wants the privileges of being part of the family she needs to contribute to the family. I would also get her medications reviews because something is not working.

When my sons grades aren’t up to par I take all electronics for three weeks - until the next progress reports come out. If his grades are back up, he gets his phone and Xbox back. If not, I keep it for 3 more weeks.

Sounds like depression. I’d try counseling or speaking with her dr.

If you’ve got her on medication and she’s doing better with her bipolar depression because of the medication then what you have on your hands is simply a lazy 16 year old teenager who obviously isn’t worried about anything because you guys take care of her you’re worried about her online friends and the influence that they have on her take the internet away take the phone away she doesn’t want to go to school take the phone away take the internet away when my son was 16 he had no desire to get an education or do anything except hang out with his friends and play video games so I took the phone the internet and the video games away and I told him he had one of two choices he could either go get a job and pay for those things himself or he could go to school and and work hard get an education and graduate I would give him his stuff back and continue to take care of him until he became an adult. And I told him if he chose not to go to school then in order to live in my home he would have to have a part-time job and he would have to pay for his own internet and he would have to pay for his own phone and he would have to contribute to the groceries and the other bills in the house. Happy to report he is now 20 years old graduated high school moved out when he was 18 got an apartment got a full-time job and takes care of himself. And comes to visit his momma regularly

Gotta limit the online time if not take it entirely for a time being.

Sounds like you need to disconnect her internet if she is refusing to follow the rules .Just had to do it myself

2 Likes

As a parent it is your job to care about your child’s future. Take her electronics away, all of them, until her grades come up. Seriously.

1 Like

Medications are tricky especially if you’re dealing with mood stabilizers, you make think she’s doing better but you aren’t living in her body, alot of those medications including antidepressants make me totally apathetic and numb, Im not depressed or manic but I’m also still far from okay on them, and being 16 her brain is still forming and you likely won’t find medications that work perfectly for her long term, she’s obviously not doing that great, if she has no interest in general life, that’s the first sign of severe depression and or anxiety, therapy is most important especially if you are using medication, you still need to learn coping mechanisms

3 Likes

My 10 year old is this child she has been evaluated and there absolutely :100: nothing wrong with her except pure old school laziness she only wants to do what she wants to do and only if and when she wan5s to do it the only thing this child cares about is soccer and basketball she doesn’t apply herself fully to anything but thise 2 things and the internet so we have just got a progress report and she is sitting on 2 D and her teachers are amazing they called and we discussed ways to help her be more interested in learning she flies through her assignments therefore making silly mistakes we have also talked to her over the weekend and come to find out she says it’s to easy and she gets bored she flies through because she knows the answer and doesn’t see why she should have to keep doing the same thing over and over mom they know I can add subtract and do my fractions why can’t I just go to the next part I don’t try after I did it the first time because obviously I did it right the first time so why do I need to do it over and over I can see her point to a point she is 10 so that’s pretty smart for a 10 year old if and when you get her to open up she is a very smart child very tech savvy as she taught me how to set up my sublimation equipment just by reading a couple lines so I know she is capable its that she is bored so we will be reaching out to her teachers and councel9rs this week to work on a new plan for her as they all say she is very intelligent I would try to talk to her not at her but genuinely talk ask her questions asked her what she sees in 5 years for herself as we have told our daughter that next year is big girl school and if she can’t or doesn’t hold a high c average she can’t play soccer or basketball for the school that would devistate her so hopefully that also gives her the motivation she needs the struggle is real as her 11 year old sister is totally opposite straight A student but 1 thing we never ever do is compare the 2 as they are 2 different people that will only cause your daughter to grow to resent her sister for no fault of her own good luck h7nny

#1 shouldn’t compare kids. They are all equally different :heart:. Get to the root of the issue

2 Likes

Have you taked to her and ask her why she has zero motivation to do the things most other kids her age are doing? It might be deeper than just not wanting to. Do you check up on what she’s doing online? This is not normal behavior for a 16 year old girl, she could have depression and anxiety and talking to people online she doesn’t know could be her outlet because no one is judging her. What’s her self esteem like? Does she have friends at school? These things all need to be taken into consideration before you just “give up” on her. Not to mention we’ve been in a pandemic for 2+ years now and that could take an emotional toll on someone who is already not in the right mental state.

1 Like

Mahnoor Malik her daughter and i are soulmates

Turn off the internet. Severely limited her data. Watch her discover all kinds of energy then. Lol.

2 Likes

When you tell your kid you not going to put in the effort for them anymore your basically telling they you give up on them. That’s how I took it when my mom told me that. She’s bipolar and her meds are probably not working as well as you think that are. She sounds depressed and needs a therapist, someone to talk to that she can trust.

6 Likes

Stop…you’re the problem! Stop buying her stuff like cars and take away her electronics. Make her earn those things with her grades. How do you expect her to be motivated when she has no consequences for bringing home bad grades. This has nothing to do with her bi-polar and everything to do with boundaries and expectations. I know we as parents want to give our kids everything and help them through things, but if she doesn’t learn these things now, she’ll have an even harder time when she’s older and not be able to effectively navigate adulthood. Support is one thing, firm boundaries are another.

8 Likes

Turn off her phone along with the internet and social media . She doesn’t want to learn school work . Than she can get a full time job pay rent pay her own phone and her own internet. You don’t reward bad behavior by letting her keep the things that are distracting her . You are the adult so adult . You giveth now mom
it’s time to take it away she wants it let her earn it the old fashioned way . Hard work

4 Likes

She’s 16. You’re in control, not her. Take away her electronics till her grades improve.

3 Likes

Is she spiraling? I know from experience with having bipolar I get in moods I cannot snap out of. I know my mood stabilizers work but sometimes I need a bump.

Can you talk to her and ask her how things are going? That might help more too.

My sister struggled with grades etc and we moved her to online/homeschool based learning and she thrives on self paced learning. Might not work but is always an option.

Forcing it may cause her to retreat more and not care even more.

Sounds like you compare her to her sister so she’s given up.
Between her medication and that, probably depressed and needs therapy. If you want to control her and “get her grades up” then Change the wifi password and tell her she will only get it at night- ONLY if she’s worked on school work, with a tutor. Stop buying her things she doesn’t need. She hasn’t even gone through a drivers class/test or anything and y’all went out and bought her a car? Knowing she’s failing classes?

3 Likes

I went through this and I had an awful experience growing up because my parents just thought i was lazy! Turns out I had adhd. It’s hard, maybe get her checked out! Along with some counseling and extra resources it would help. Taking things away and stuff like that is only create a bigger gap between you two! Best of luck

3 Likes

Cut the Wi-Fi off that’s a start.

4 Likes

Get her back in the classroom. She needs to socialize with people in person, not the internet.

4 Likes

Okay. Here is what you do. You take away all electronics. Her cell phone, tablets, computers, even the TV. All of it. Change the password to the internet, turn her phone off. Then, you take away her car. Sell it if you have to. Then, you take her to and from school. If she doesn’t get her grades up, she’s get nothing back. She gets to live in the stone age. Do not overwhelm her with a bunch of stuff. Start with school. If she gets her grades up and can show she can focus, teach her to drive. One thing at a time though. But for sure start taking everything away. She’s grounded from having a social life until she takes school more seriously.

4 Likes

Pull her out of school and take her to get her GED.
School isn’t for everyone. Punishment is just going to make her feel less understood.
Help her move forward with her life in a positive and constructive way.

3 Likes

Take her phone and change the wifi password. No “C’s” no Internet

2 Likes

Sounds like she is in a depressive mode which takes a long time to snap out of it. I would remove the car tho because if she is not getting good grades why does she have a car. I would start to install some consequences for not doing things cause life does go on even if she is mentally disabled. I am also in more than 2 ways so I understand. So not trying to be rude about that part but consequences should happen either way

If she’s 16 and she’s been struggling for 2 years, I don’t think she’s going to change. Sorry. Maybe restricted social contact, internet, phone, might help. If her sister is making straight As, and she doesn’t, can’t or want to, she’s probably just quit trying. She could probably use some counseling, but she may not except that. Her bipolar disorder is probably a major factor. She needs to /stay in/ pass high school, even if it’s just passing time to let her body and mind mature. Her friends will probably move on to college, jobs, ect. Then she will have to make adjustments in her life. Maybe vocational school woo engineers a better fit for her, but unfortunately unless she is interested it will be just like school.
Have you thought about tonight love, removing things she likes. She may really at out then, but she needs to understand as a parent you are only responsible for basic clothes, food, and room. And once she turns18 that no longer applies. If she’s dating, you might need to address birth control. Sorry, it happens and unless you want to raise grandkids??? Also her getting a job is great, she needs one in the summer too. But again if she’s not going to work??? She won’t keep a job. At that point you may have to assign her jobs at home that would earn her credits towards phone and internet time, and anything else that she requires or wants. There will come a time when you are either not able or not around to allow princess to just do as she pleases, better she be prepared because her social world is a very cruel place if you aren’t prepared or have nothing to offer it. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything that you haven’t thought of already.
Best wishes, to you and your daughter

1 Like

Bipolar is in most cases bought on from child hood trauma, maybe she isnt over what she has been thorugh. 🤷 Find a way that she relates too and speak to her that way, help her heal. If it was bought on by trauma let her know she isnt alone, it wasnt her fault, you are in her corner. She may rather want to talk to people online as she feels she has noone to talk too. Comparing your children especially one who has bipolar will make the situation worse she already feels like a outsider comparing her to her sister (miss perfect in your daughters eyes )will make matters worse and push her away. So find a way that prompts these convos, sit in and ask to game with her, find a connection with her that will open the door for her to prompt these convos dont you go digging for questions or push if you want to get through to her take up something she thoroughly does enjoy and spend time with her one on one no pressure no comparing of children just mum and daughter one on one. How can you also expect her to want too do anything when it cleary seems like in your eyes she is failing when she may just clearly need your help and you just pretty much told her im done parenting you this is very hurtful to someone who has bioplar when they already feel like an outsider and not good enough it may push her backwards not forwards. Let her know you are there and not just because you want her to be like her sister. Having bipolar she is going to often feel this way as she gets older so lpease she absolutely needs to know you are there for her and stop putting pressure on her she 16 with enough problems heal and understand her dont criticise or compare if you want things to get better.

Take things away!!!
NO PHONE
NO CAR
NO FRIENDS
NO NOTHING….
NADA ZIP ZILCH

6 Likes

Take away her online friends, no progress with the grades, no phone/computer or whatever it is she uses to talk to her online friends.
It sounds like maybe a bit of depression also which can coincide with bipolar .
Best of luck mama, keep on her consistently and hopefully she will change her tune.

5 Likes

Take the online crap away. Comment fucking sense.

You have given her way to many passes. TAKE HER PHONE. She is walking over you mama and you are letting her…

2 Likes

Take everything away make her earn it back. Left her fail if you have too. However maybe she needs therapy?? Maybe she’s depressed.

Shoot take everything away and make her do Chores. Like Really Clean( I mean scrub everything while being on her knees making sure floors are spotless, around the toilets in the house,every corner and angles there are super clean etc), heck make her dig in the backyard to make a garden. She doesn’t want to use brains than she’s gonna have to learn to work with her hands. :woman_shrugging: She’s going to have to work either way, so yes part time job for her and she needs to pay for rent & make her buy the car from you. She needs to learn that working hard is how you get the things you want in life.
I grew up without a laptop, only had a cell phone for emergencies, didn’t go out to hang with friends until I was 18, didn’t get a car for birthday or graduation. lol
I just stayed home, worked on homework and cleaned every day. I had suffered from seizures my last yr of highschool and was diagnosed with a chronic disease, and I still made sure I graduated from HS.

2 Likes

First off take away all privileges including driving!! I wouldn’t have bought her a car if she’s constantly failing classes :woman_shrugging:t3::woman_shrugging:t3: and she wouldn’t be talking to online friends…. Even in the adult world if you don’t do what you’re supposed to there are consequences and she needs consequences for her actions now before the real world chews her up and spits her out

4 Likes

As a young adult who had trouble in school, had bipolar and got bullied… don’t take stuff away. Don’t restrict her. Put her in therapy and change her schools. Self paced learning at job corps is what helped me go from fs to all As and a 3.8 GPA. I got my driver’s license, trade certificate and high school diploma within 1 year. I also graduated a year earlier than everyone else out of my class. With kids who have mental health issues you have to work more with them. And if you don’t you’ll just create an angry, rebellious trauma filled kid who hates life and school and everything in between. Depression is hard. School is hard. Mental health is hard. Mania lows in bipolar are the absolute worst… do what is best her mental health. Show her you support her without being the crazy strict parent. Once my mom stopped trying to shove rules down my throat I calmed down and got a job and turned my life around. You have to show her you trust she will make good decisions but also guide her as well. Good luck with everything… also you comparing her to her sister doesn’t help. -coming from a girl with 2 sisters and I’m the youngest.

5 Likes

Question is: why she online with friends if she doesn’t have her grades up? No phone, no wifi or internet at home until grades are up? No going out other than school, no tv…etc. not all kids are at same level in learning but I guess if that was my child I’d be sitting at the kitchen table monitoring her homework and keeping close tabs with the school on grades, completing assignments and ones not done. Education isn’t an option in my house, if I have to plant my butt in the desk in school…I will. One way or other…you will do it.

Exactly my problem with my 10 year old. What can we do?

Ask the child what you should do to get them to wanna be the best version of themselves. They will tell you how to do it, if you listen

2 Likes

I would take her keys and phone and then enroll her in online school. If she has passing grades for one week, she gets her phone back. 2 weeks and then she gets car keys. If her grades slip or her behavior changes for the worse, she loses keys and phone. If she’s bipolar she must have a therapist too. Discuss it during a therapy session. Set expectations and consequences. I have 5 children. One son with bipolar so extreme that qualified for a check and was in and out of hospitals for years. He didn’t get himself together until I pulled him out of school. Weekly therapy sessions taught him how to deal with all the frustrating things and taught me how to parent him effectively. Step one was to find something he’s passionate about and actually be involved. We chose volunteering at an animal shelter. He’s now 24. He has a massive vocabulary. Married with his 2nd son on the way. He’s a certified dog trainer and helps manage a high end dog kennel. And…5 years later he found Jesus on his own. Was baptized by his own choice 2 weeks ago.

1 Like

I dropped out of high school. Took GED classes at night . Did Trade school during day. During trade school married the man of my dreams, had 2 kids, who blessed me with 4 grandchildren. Life doesn’t depend on education.

3 Likes

Take away her devices; she gets them back when she starts doing better. 4 Adults and tutoring can’t make the change for her. She has to do it.
Also, a visit to the doctor to check that there are no mental health issues impeding her progress might be a good idea.

1 Like

Take away the social media?

2 Likes

You are the parent take her electronics away and tell her until she starts picking her grades up and listening to the people in the house that she is in she is not getting ANYTHING BACK.

Until she starts having some sort of motivation to do life skills like learning how to drive and doing what matters she isn’t getting anything back and until she starts learning that people on the computer won’t help her learn to get to places she need to get to when she’s a adult.

2 Likes

Personally, seek mental health professionals for her before doing any kind of “punishment “ tactics. I had depression and unmedicated ADHD growing up. I was miserable. I’m 26 now, just started getting actually help. It has changed my life but Because I didn’t get help most of my childhood. This process of me feeling like I belong will be longer due to my parents not getting me help as a child!

Let her drop out and get a job. I did. Got my GED, started community college. Transferred to a four year college. High school is not only boring, it is pointless. College is very different.

You need to dangle a carrot what is her most favourite thing is it her phone or other electronic or perhaps going out with friends you that as the golden carrot trust me it works I have a 16 year old and I’ve come down on her like a ton of brick she carnt afford to slack off in this day of age

Is she in therapy? Depression is a main issue with bipolar disorder and that’s what it sounds like to me. I struggle with motivation sometimes and I’m a grown adult who KNOWS I have responsibilities

3 Likes

1st no on line until grades improve and give her chores do a chart and for each chore done without having to tell her give x amount of time online she needs to understand you work for what you want

She may be depressed. Most teens want to drive and see friends. If she’s only talking to online friends something more may be going on

5 Likes

Dealing with that right now with my almost 16 year old. We deal with anxiety and depression. Please don’t just take away. Since Christmas I have noticed a better change. I keep in contact with the vice principal at her school. Which by the way has been life changing. Find someone at her school teacher, principal or guidance that she likes. Maybe have that person help with everything your going through. I have her team app on my phone. So I am notified when things are due. Please inbox me. So much more has happened as well. It does get better. :heart:

3 Likes

Seek Medical Attention for her…You said Bipolar ( Do you Even Understand Bipolar is??)
Her Current Meds maybe Suppressing her too much…No Outbursts…But Also No Motivation To Do Anything Else…
Not Normal For a Teenager to Not be Social or Want To Drive( Most Teenager jump to be out & about Everywhere)
Seek Medical…Maybe She’s Depressed or her Medicine needs adjusting.
Even though she’s Bipolar & on Meds; She should still be a Typical Teenager

6 Likes

If she’s not doing any school work she doesn’t need to be on line. Set her parameters. Do your work get extras. Make graduation the goal which mesns at least passing the classes maybe not with high grades but at least passing. It’s a lot of work tiding herd but at least it’s worth it in the long run

2 Likes

Can some please explain to this Aussie Sheila
Why it’s a big deal
If your kids don’t grades you want
Its not the end of the world
I doubt there is any 16 year old who is motivated to do anything
If she doesn’t finish high school with her friends
She can always go back to school If she wants later on
As for going to uni( or as you call college)
What’s wrong with her going to trade school and learning a trade and saves you a lot of money as well

I know the Australian and American education systems
Are very different

For instance our kids start primary school at the age of 5
And do kindy to grade 6
And then year 7-10 at high school
A lot of kids do go on to do yr 11 and 12
Even with good grades a lot of students arnt offered a course placement due to high demand
Kids can legally leave high school at the age of 16 if they wish to
We don’t put demands on kids to go to uni
Not only for financial reasons but the chances of finding a job in that field are often very slim
For instance 2 of my closest friends went to uni
1 got a bachelor’s with honors in marine science
But is now working at the council as a courier
My other friend has his bachelor’s in economics
But he runs a post office
And are still paying off a big hex debt
As for her not listening to you
But instead listening to her internet friends
Sorry hunni but that won’t change while she is still a teenager

5 Likes

Sounds like she’s lacking in self worth. (Probably a bi- polar thing)
The only thing I can say as a piece of advice would be,
reassurance! Don’t focus so much on her grades if she refused to focus on them. Point out all of the things you love about her and let her HEAR them. Stay positive and patient. She will come around.

2 Likes

We take privileges. Phones, keys is they have a car or access to one. No electronics. Until grades get up to a C but I also like what Mary Cantwell said

1 Like

It’s time for tough love, take away phone & internet privileges until she does what you are asking her to do.

3 Likes

Why does she still have access to online? Put her on a system to earn privileges

2 Likes

Find her desired currency and take it away from her until she gets her butt in gear

Punishment is not the answer. If you take away.shewill like you less

The last 2 covid years have affected many teenagers and the lack of enthusiasm and motivation is an unfortunate side effect. Try not to punish before all other suggestions have been trialled.

1 Like

hire a tutor fro her peer group

1st thing that came to mind is depression!

5 Likes

She needs some help, not punishment.

5 Likes

Take her phone away. Are you paying for all her expenses. Stop. Make goals for her. Give her tasks to get done around the house.

4 Likes

To be honest…. Really honest …. Is she going to be a doctor ? Or tradesperson ? Or office manager ? By now you will know what she is good at and not good at, sit her down and tell her her options for going farward in life and what she will struggle to achieve if she doesn’t graduate. No shame on not graduating but there needs to be options

1 Like

The car would be gone asap. She can’t even drive so there’s no point in having it. Have a discussion about what happened once she is no longer in HS. Is she welcome to live there as long as he’s does XYZ or do you want her to move out, does she go to some sort of higher education/vocational training. I’m glad you’ve found a working medication regimen. Mental health is so important at to stay on top of. It son d alike you’ve done what you can to help set them up with a good start at an adult life. While the meds may be working is it possible the counselors are not a good fit anymore?

2 Likes