My S19 never seems to do homework or study at all, but his grades have been fine all year (French 2 is a bit of a struggle, so he puts in a slight effort to make sure he gets a B). I have no idea what is going on in his classes that allows him to get mostly A’s without doing anything, but I feel like he’s going to have a rude awakening next year, or if not then, the year after.
We are not really pushing him at all in terms of his course selection because he has no track record of ever studying for anything. If he chooses an AP class, I want to make sure that he really wants to take it. This pretty much guarantees that there won’t be any AP English, history, foreign language or government classes!
My boys never liked math team either. I forced during middle schools (doing AMC8 and MathCounts) but quit after 8th grade. Sigh. It would still be good to just join for the competitions, AMC10, PurpleComet, etc, for the experience as well as if AMRL, etc, if available. I know it’s very difficult to take my stubborn boys.
Welcome @RightCoaster . I have a DS16 so it’s busy there right now too. Once he gets off to college, poor DS19 will have my undivided attention . We’ll start ramping up the college search process the summer between sophomore and junior year.
Thank you, @mom23travelers and @eandesmom – the balancing act is tough, and D19 has a 504 Plan for accommodations (including extra time on assignments), but I do not think it has clicked yet that delaying assignments has a snowball effect. So (for now) we are doing daily check-ins. Unfortunately the spring theatre production is the first week of May, so studying/homework time is limited for the next 12 days or so. (We are using the theatre production as an incentive to keep grades up, but I really don’t think it is working so well.)
@OrangeFish theater is tough, my S17 does tech and it’s a huge commitment, the actual actors is far more time and his schedule is crazy as it is! S19 would love to but it conflicts too much with Track. The good news is that you do have a 504 that should help you get accommodations for ACT or SAT when that time comes. You’ll want to be on top of it when you sign up but that can be very helpful when the time comes. For better a worse, the pattern of continued problems and impacted grades will help get that approved for those, or at least that is what I am told.
It is ACT/SAT season. Get online and call them as if your DS were a Junior, and find out what it takes. You may be well served to add whatever is needed at your next 504 (or IEP) meeting, as the test companies do NOT want to feel like your plan is designed specifically for them.
@eandesmom – we have College Board accommodations already (yay!) but your post is a good reminder that I need to start on the ACT accommodations process.
Welcome, @RightCoaster! Things are moving faster than I would like already
What is everyone’s plan for summer? I’ve not paid any attention until recently, so options are limited. We will try to get DD hooked up with some kind of theater tech experience…she is adamantly opposed to classes or academic programs over the summer, at least now, so I won’t force her. She did qualify for CTY by taking the SAT in 8th grade, but we simply cannot afford any of their summer programs (they have some cheap or free online offerings but I know better than to think she would actually do the work).
Fortunately, D16 won’t start college until August so we have her to help with the driving.
D19 will be busy with drivers ed, volleyball camps, and strength/conditioning camp (3 days a week for 8 weeks). She also volunteered to help with vacation bible school. If she can fit it in, she will help out with cross country camp for the grade school kids.
Finally, she and I are going to do at least one race a month from May through Oct. Most are 5k but we also have a 4-miler and 7-miler as our July races. I’ve been doing one race a month all year but she can’t do any outside races until track season is over in mid-May.
The activity that kills me is she is required to help out with the grade school cheerleading camp since she is a cheerleader. I don’t mind the helping out piece. The timing of it is horrible because we had drivers ed programmed in the same time slot. We now have to find a different time for drivers ed because the school wants to use the HS cheerleaders as free labor.
We are going on a cruise as D16’s graduation present. I know D16, D19, and S23 are looking forward it.
At the end of the summer, we are taking another vacay- this time to FL before school starts for everybody.
Our summer will be busy with a trip to Disney to celebrate DS16’s graduation and will attempt to schedule driver’s Ed. DS19 and DS16 will be doing lots of pet sitting jobs so DS19 will be able to take over once DS16 leaves for college.
My S is too young for driver ed and would never agree to do anything academic related over the summer. I’m hoping he can find a job but not sure how it works for 15 year olds. I foresee lots of time on the playground playing basketball with his friends.
S19 is taking geometry over the summer. 5 days a week, 5 hours a day for 5 weeks. He’s also participating in a teen/young adult musical theatre program. Rehearsals are in the evenings to accommodate daytime work schedules/classes so it’s a perfect fit. I haven’t thought about drivers training. He’ll have to do the online course for his permit.
@Undercovermom1 That’s a great option for driver’s Ed . In our state they have to have 8 hrs classroom and 6 hrs behind the wheel with an instructor and 40 additional hrs ( 10 of those at night) to get your restricted license.
This is the first year that my boys have not done Boy Scout camp. They’ve never done any academics programs or camps during the summer . Hasn’t hurt DS16 academically.
@me29034 I don’t know if this is an option, but my son’s have been pet sitting for the last several years. We tend not to take extended vacations so they have plenty of opportunity to earn a little spending money .
D19 will be in a four-week long daytime program for theatre and fine arts. S22 will be joining in as well, although he will be in orchestra-focused classes. Other than that, D19 will be doing some self-study, and we are taking two weeks vacation in August to head to New England.
@carolinamom2boys here in California kids take the classroom part online and then the 6 hours behind the wheel with an instructor. Finally, 50 hours with a licensed driver over 25 years old (10 at night). I am in no rush, and he can’t wait. Ugh.
