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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Unmotivated teen..how to handle

4 replies

Decisivelyindecisive · 21/08/2020 15:36

Background info is eldest DS15 has ASD and attends a mainstream school. Does ok academically, really struggles socially (no social life outside school whatsoever despite our best efforts). All he wants to do is video game ( prob very typical of a teen). He never goes out but doesnt seem depressed as he hates social interaction.

Recently I feel like every interaction we have is negative and its exhausting and worrying me. Im nagging and I hate it. He needs micro managing constantly for even the basics of showering / eating / getting up. We have tried everything to promote independence and support any executive functioning issues...bought an Alexa to set all important reminders..he ignores it. Organised his desk to make school work more manageable ...he just doesnt do it. Let him make suggestions on how to be more organised...he doesnt follow them. Arranged an ed psych appointment and explained honesty was vital as we could then support him better... he lied throughout saying hes fine / he needs no support.

Its come to a head today because he is eating EVERYTHING out the pantry even stuff he knows isnt for him. For context he had free access to food / snack basket but we have limited the choice recently as he continued to eat not only his but others and gained a lot of weight (hes now overweight). All siblings are also autistic and some have food difficulties so its important we have the " right stuff" ...we have explained this repeatedly, moved to a higher shelf etc, bought him his own stuff...and yet he still does it. He drank 4 pints of milk in less than 48hours, an entire box of cereal and a loaf of bread. As well as snacks and full meals. We give decent portions of dinner and would love to make them more protein heavy but hes incredibly restricted on what he will eat.

Clearly this isnt a big deal in the grand scheme of things but makes life difficult when his younger sibling becomes hysterical the only food he eats isnt available and I then have to dash to supermarket to replace.

Frankly its starting to make me wonder how much is " typical teen", how much is a result of his executive functioning difficulties and how much is just pure selfishness and laziness.

How do we motivate a teen to consider other people in the house? Is this normal? Maybe we are expecting too much and we should ride it out but I'm worried as he doesnt self regulate he will end up really unhealthy, no GCSES (not because of ability but lack of motivation) and then struggle in adulthood.

Fully aware I'm likely projecting my own issues here too Blush. This is a massive rambling rant...sorry ... surely its Gin o clock now?!

OP posts:
Rosebud2005 · 22/08/2020 10:57

I’m interested in hearing others ideas on this too as my son does very similar things. Very dismissive of others, says no when you ask him to do anything, eats his dinners but inbetween or breakfast etc if it’s not full of suger he’s not interested. Very unmotivated with work - but teachers insist he works hard in school and he gets good reports even though he doesn’t pass class tests. I organise pretty much every bit of his life as he keeps saying he doesn’t need to be organised, he doesn’t need this he doesn’t need that... took him to a psychologist in first year as I discovered he was pinching his arm. I wanted to stop it before it went anywhere else. They said no sign of any mental health issues. His anxiety can he through the roof at times. Husband doesn’t think there’s anything but then he never sees him as he’s always on his own computer so it’s down to me to help my son!

Elieza · 22/08/2020 11:13

My friends mum had a lock on her food cupboard and fridge so she couldnt stuff her face when her mum was out.

At the time I thought it was cruel but it could be an option for you. Give him a supply of crap in an unlocked cupboard and if he eats it all by lunchtime then he won’t be getting any more til the following day. He can keen to budget his snacks.

If he wants more crap he can earn it by exercising. Like a walk or cycle with you.

Re everything else, tell him the broadband will be switched off for bad behaviour and non-cooperation. Every time. He has to earn it by good behaviour. WiFi is an excellent motivator. It’s all teens want these days so use it to your advantage. He gets x number of hours per day and if he wants more he has to earn it from being nice to others and doing chores.

Make sure you have a good password so he can’t guess it! Don’t reuse old passwords if he knows them already.

Good luck Grin

imissthesouth · 22/08/2020 11:34

I think this is a typical teenage phase now a days, all the teens in my family are glued to xbox's computers and phones. I often ask them about their friends etc and they never go out together only snapchat or play video games together. When my kids get to that age there will definitely be screen time limits and more "real world" interactions eg going out to the park and playing football

Rosebud2005 · 22/08/2020 12:16

That’s what I said...! Hmm

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