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Original poster

How to I motivate my son to reach his full potential (he's very bright but only wants to put in minimal effort)

55 replies

JEWALSH · 16/03/2007 13:36

Hello everyone

I'm new to mumsnet - this is my first post.

My son got 3 level 5 SATS last year and started secondary school in September.

He is in the top sets for Maths, English and Science and all his teachers say he is a natural set 1 student who should aim very high as he has the ability.

I went to parents evening last night and all his teachers said the same thing - he is only putting in minimal effort.

His geography teacher said he has amazing ability for an 11 year old and he got 82% on his test without any revision.

I am extremly worried about his English as he has gone down to level 4c (he should be aiming at 6c) - he can do it, he is just being lazy. After getting a level 5 he is not using punctuation, capital letters and getting words like their and there mixed up.

I am at my wits end - I do not want to see his work slide.

He has said he will buck his ideas up and doesn't know why he is being lazy.

Has anyone any ideas to motivate an 11 year old boy and enable him to reach his full potential?

OP posts:
Original poster
JEWALSH · 16/03/2007 13:57

Geography and maths are his favourite subjects and he will do really well in these without much effort. He probably has to try a good deal harder in the other subjects and that's why he can't be bothered.

I bribed him to do well in his SATS - £50 per level 5 which on reflection was way too much.

OP posts:
Original poster
JEWALSH · 16/03/2007 13:54

His geography teacher said he has been earmarked as one of those boys who should be leaving school with 13 GCSES and aiming for the top.

I told him this and he was really pleased. Maybe flattery will work, I don't know.

He could probably put the minimum in and get C grades in 4 years time but he should be getting A and Bs.

His head of year has said she will put him on an effort report for the next few weeks so he can be monitored.

We have said he won't be going to the cinema or park with his friends until he bucks his ideas up.

OP posts:
RedTartanLass · 16/03/2007 13:50

I'm sure this is a question asked by generations of parents I was a lazy cow at school as well and as long as I could pass with the minimum of effort I was happy. My parents tried everything to no avail. My ds1 was the same, he scrapped through his A levels and he will scrape through his degree!

I know I will probably get jumped on from a great height, but good grades don't make for a happy child. 82% for a test with no revision.....so where's the motivation to revise if he is still going to get great grades!

As you can see I'm now a lazy mother and I'd be chuffed to bits if any of my kids to get great results without studying, but I'm sure I'll be in the minority

ssd · 16/03/2007 13:48

this could be about my 9 yr old

will follow thread with interest

Lilymaid · 16/03/2007 13:46

I wish I knew! I had a DS very similar to that. What did buck him up was the need to do well in public exams - but they are a long way off at present for you. It is a common problem with bright boys (and not so much with bright girls).