<p>If he doesn’t know what the real world is like, you can teach him. If he’s too young to flip burgers, he can mow lawns, rake leaves, shovel snow, get a job painting houses this summer. He can volunteer at a nursing home. He can start “earning” his minutes (or his share of a family plan) by doing odd jobs and running errands in the neighborhood.</p>
<p>Forcing him to read isn’t going to make him care about school. The only way he’s going to care about school is when he starts to connect the dots between his adult life and what he’s doing now.</p>
<p>Does he do household chores willingly and without an attitude? That’s a good place to start. Is he helpful to elderly family members (washing grandma’s car, etc.)? In my book, work ethic is work ethic. Gotta start somewhere.</p>