14 yr old son can't see point or benefit in GCSE qualifications.

[caringdad66]

My 14 yr old son, goes to school reluctantly.
He is as bright as a button, and could achieve straight A's if he wanted too.
He says GCSEs are pointless, and he doesn't care if he gets any.
Does the bare,bare minimum in class and at home.
Refuses to revise for forthcoming,pre option choice ,exams.
What can i say to him to make him see sense?
Any tips, advice or strategies?

(He thinks GCSEs are pointless, because he is going to be a professional x box gamer when he leaves school.}

Frustrating. I want to say offer him a bribe, but I know that's not the answer. He needs to work because he wants to. Are his friends of the same mindset?

Take away his X box. Can't be a professional without it.

Tell him to get his head down and do his work, don't bribe him. Get in touch with the school and explain the situation. It may be that he's struggling and using that as an excuse.

Well he's not that bright if he thinks he can be a professional x box gamer , or successful without gcse 'S!

Is that even a carer? Does he know how you go about it and pay the bills? Possibly take his x box that I presume he has and he can have it back when he has a comprehensive live plan with options

I'd tell him he has to be in full time education until he's 18 , which is the case these days so if all his friends pass their gcses and are at sixth form he'll feel daft retaking

What does he think he'll do when he's too old for gaming professionally?

Set a timetable
Meet with head of year at school
Only give phone when work and revision has been completed.
Turn off internet for three hours each evening
Let him show you and explain his work to you. Be interested.
Reward results not effort (it is possible to do nothing whilst looking like you are working hard). Ours got £100 per A* or A nothing for lower grades.

His school friends arent as apathetic as him, he is the laziest of the lot.
Thing is, he has good role models, in that we are all fortunate enough to be in work, so am a bit confused as to where his apathy comes from.
What did you say to your kids to illustrate the benefits of GCSE qualifications?

Getting qualifications is nonnegotiable. Until he realises though, Xbox ans wifi need to be earned. He's 14 FFS.

My mother said to me: ''You don't want to be on the dole your whole life like XYZ your whole life do you?''

Sorted me right out.

He won't be employable as an xbox gamer or in any related career ie. IT or game designer. Agree with others take away his equipment until he demonstrates more willingness to engage.

Where is his xbox situated? As an aside, is he talking to other gamers online? If so might he be being groomed or influenced by someone? Has his attitude and behaviour changed?

He spends 40 hrs per week on x box, and yes he does talk to other gamers online.
He is adamant that he can make a living from x box gaming, hence his indifference to traditional quals.

I'm a teacher and I see this a lot. Explain that he will need decent grades at least for English and Maths to do anything in the future.
He could want to do a degree in Games Development in the future but he will need those grades. He needs to see GCSES as a gateway into the future even if they don't interest in themselves.
And restrict the gaming (I won't get into my usual anti-gaming rant)

How can being a gamer be a job?

Take it the fuck off him till he starts studying. FFS.

40 hours a week!!!!!!!
And you allow that?

40 hours a week??? Fuck me, that's ridiculous. Start being a parent.

How does he fit that in?

You might want to look at http://www.breckfoundation.org/

Am loving the honesty of all your replies. Thank you.

Can you print off loads of related job descriptions and highlight where the minimum requirements for application are.

Or X amount of time studying will be equated to time spent on X box?

The key here is getting him some careers advice. See if you can get him booked in with the careers advisor at school. Also, ask him where the money will come from as a professional gamer. Ask some probing questions about how much he thinks he might earn and what he thinks his out goings might be (maybe make it clear he has to move out eventually).

I'm a teacher too and I see this a lot from gaming obsessed students. It's the modern version of growing up to be a rock star.

Professional gamer, huh? It's well paid, prize money can be huge. Is he actually any good? Tbh at 14 I would expect him to already have some quite impressive sponsorship in place if he is going to make it.

If that is what he wants to do is there any reason why he can't be looking into it already ( no idea if this is possible) not as encouragement but if he is gaming full time anyway and thinks that is what he will do why is he not looking into this already IYSWIM

Why are you not turning the internet off, 40 hours a week is ridiculous

I would frame qualifications in the light that they offer options and choices. Getting good GCSEs will not hinder his chances of becoming a professional gamer, but should he change his mind at any time, having the means to access a wide range of further and higher ed courses means that he can do whatever he likes. No GCSEs will potentially really limit his choices and freedom, or at the very least make it harder to achieve what he wants.

You could always get him to remember previous jobs he expressed an interest in when younger, and also how hard it has been through time for people who are only trained for one thing (miners etc.) to keep up with the fast pace of change. They all thought they had jobs for life too. More recently- where are all those MySpace stars? That went from huge to naff in the blink of an eye. Whos to say professional gaming won't?

Of course 14 year olds know everything and i'm sure he has everything figured out!

Get him to draw up a business plan outlining how he will make money from being an x-box gamer citing others he is aware of who are making money doing this?

Meanwhile remove his x-box and tell him he can get it for an hour or two each evening once he has done his school work. 40 hours a week on it is preposterous.