Sorry this has turned out long, thanks if you manage to get all the way through it......
I just don't know what to make of what is going on with DS right now. This is an above average child as school until last year when he changed to high school.
We don't live in UK. High school starts here when they are 14. If they don't get a certain mark for subjects but the end of the year, they are not promoted to the following grade, and have to repeat the year.
In primary school he always did well. Once he went to high school last year, his marks just plummeted. There was an issue with the maths teacher last year who went awol so the class were teacherless for a while, they had to catch up with lessons in the afternoons with the other teacher.
He failed Maths for the year, but due to this teacher (there were lots of other issues with him), he was passed up to this year. Again this year he hasn't pulled his weight and has failed all 3 terms so far due to failing maths and a few other subjects.
But this year is a very important year, as they choose which subjects they want to take next year, which should tie in with the career choice they choose. So he has always wanted to do a Science degree, this is what interests him, still now and always has. BUT, because his mark is not high enough for the whole year, he is not allowed to take science next year. They have to have a certain mark for Math and Science to take the subject next year.
So I fetched his report. Pathetic marks for both math and science, and in fact every single subject. I don't spoon feed him at all, but ask him re homework etc and he always claimed to have done it, projects handed in, but to find out at parents evening this isn't the case. So he has been lying. And that brings me to the next thing - the lying! He has always been an honest kid. He is lying about the most ridiculous things - caught him out lying twice yesterday - gets in car - I say did you wash your face as I see sleep in his eyes. He says yes. I ask him again and he says actually no he didn't. So he runs back in house to wash face. Silly things like this... Its like I don't even know my own child anymore.
So now he says he wants to repeat this year in order to "try harder" for next year and qualify to do the subjects he want to do. If he is promoted, he will have to take subjects that he has no interest in doing in his future - ie tourism, cheffing, economics etc. I have meeting at school next week. I just don't know, they may agree to him redoing the year, but then again I have to pay another years school fees if he does that, and what if he just messes about again thinking its the easy life...
No family here to discuss this with and dh is working away, I just wanted to see if anyone could comment, I feel quite overwhelmed and upset right now with no support.