MS Moms...there is hope! (Brag inside)...

[kellyg403]

There are have been several threads regarding MS and homework. My ds14 spent all of Middle School fighting homework and having lackluster grades. Not his potential at all. The last 1/2 of 8th grade last year I gave up and let him ride the wave and suffer the consequences of not turning in work. I explained a thousand times that getting an A on a test and 4 zero's for missing homework cancelled themselves out. When the last report card came, I sat him down and let him know that there would be no sports during the fall of his 9th grade year or until I could see that he was making an effort to improve and live up to his personal potential.

Yesterday, ds14 brought home his first hs report card with STRAIGHT A's and had ZERO missing assignments! Yipee....!!! He told me that when he got his progress reports and saw his grades, he sat down and tried to see if I was right. He averaged out his grade with a few zero's for missing assignments and could not believe how many points he lost just for a couple zero's.

This morning, I took him to get a sports physical..which he had to pay the $40.00 for so that he could be on the wrestling team. I am hoping that if I keep him invested in himself he will stay on his current path. I am so proud of him because I knew that he could do it.

So for all you mommies out there worried about middle school, homework fights and grades, there is hope. This is a kid I never thought would "get it" but he did and alot soooner that I thought. My dh (ds stepdad) didn't think I should have taken away the sports, but you know what? I know ds and I know that football was his one love. He needed to understand that even if I didn't take it away the school could, he needed to be positively invested in his schoolwork so that he didn't get kicked off the team for academic performance. I am glad that I went with my gut. For me and for ds!!!

Kelly

 

[drag n' fly]

Wow you have great timing! I have one in grade 9 one in grade 7 and a wee one in grade one. Dh was micro managing them too much and I finally convinced him to do exactly what you said. Hopefully responsibility for personal accountability takes over. I am glad I am not the only one!

 

[mommasita]

That really is great!!! I am going through the same with my 12 year old son. It is his first year in High School (no middle here) and forgets everything.

Yesterday he called at lunch to ask if someone could bring his art project. I was at work, and DH works nights and told him sorry, suffer the consequences. He was allowed to bring it in first thing this morning with no penalty, and I was watching and praying that he would remember it, and he did.

I just hope he "gets it" soon, it seems to be an extremely hard transition, as he has some learning issues to deal with already. It is hard to watch your child go through this, but he has to learn to organize himself and learn..

 

[ChrizJen]

OP, I thought that by MS you were referring to Multiple Sclerosis.
I was thinking that you were being awfully hard on him if he had health issues that got in the way of school...LOL
Sorry, I just had to bust in and tell you about my first impression. I get it now though!

Congrats to you that your message got through to your DS!!
I don't have kids yet, but my sister and brother are going through the EXACT same issue with their middle schoolers. I know it's got to be frustrating!!

Good job!!

 

[Poohgirl]

Add me to the boat. We tried the "hands off" approach with DS12 at the start of the year. We were hoping that he would step up and do what he needed to. Well, half way through the quarter he was pull an amazing straight "F", yup in everything. Now THAT is a talent. So, we are back on him constantly. It really sucks and I hope that he will eventually get it. The good news is that he has brought all of his grades up and will most likely pass all his classes for qtr 1.

 

[kellyg403]

Add me to the boat. We tried the "hands off" approach with DS12 at the start of the year. We were hoping that he would step up and do what he needed to. Well, half way through the quarter he was pull an amazing straight "F", yup in everything. Now THAT is a talent. So, we are back on him constantly. It really sucks and I hope that he will eventually get it. The good news is that he has brought all of his grades up and will most likely pass all his classes for qtr 1.

That is what happened with ds third quarter last year. I just had enough of hounding him everyday, talking/emailing teachers etc. Its seemed like a full time job. When he brought home that report card with an amazingly low F in Math...I just quit. He understood his chances of staying in 8th grade. He pulled it off somehow and made it to 9th. I think he spent all of last year with a bed in his room and nothing else. Nothing, and I mean nothing, seemed to work.

When I saw that report card yesterday and that smile on his face I thought "he gets it"...he might not have it all the way, he may try to back peddle since he still lacks a certain amount of maturity but goodness knows this report card will keep him in my good graces for a few more years!

Kelly

 

[kellyg403]

OP, I thought that by MS you were referring to Multiple Sclerosis.
I was thinking that you were being awfully hard on him if he had health issues that got in the way of school...LOL
Sorry, I just had to bust in and tell you about my first impression. I get it now though!

Congrats to you that your message got through to your DS!!
I don't have kids yet, but my sister and brother are going through the EXACT same issue with their middle schoolers. I know it's got to be frustrating!!

Good job!!

You know, after I posted this I thought the exact same thing and couldn't get the title to be edited. Sorry for the confusion!

That really is great!!! I am going through the same with my 12 year old son. It is his first year in High School (no middle here) and forgets everything.

Yesterday he called at lunch to ask if someone could bring his art project. I was at work, and DH works nights and told him sorry, suffer the consequences. He was allowed to bring it in first thing this morning with no penalty, and I was watching and praying that he would remember it, and he did.

I just hope he "gets it" soon, it seems to be an extremely hard transition, as he has some learning issues to deal with already. It is hard to watch your child go through this, but he has to learn to organize himself and learn..

DS's organization skills, are crappy. I had little faith in him. Along with socialization transition into high school and going to a high school coming from a magnet school that is county wide and losing most if not all his friends and starting over, I figured we were in the long haul. I noticed he came in everyday and did his homework without me telling him. I didn't say much because I wasn't sure he was doing it all. I figured I would live in denial until report card time!