Feel like my DS is wasting his life since lockdown

[SamW98]

Sorry if that sounds dramatic but my almost 16 year old has gone from a happy hard working enthusiastic boy who was committed to his studies to a disinterested, unmotivated young man who has very little interest in anything apart from sleeping, watching tv, his pets and football

Pre COVID he was projected to get 7's and 8's in most subjects, now he will, be lucky to scrape 4's and 5's but he doesn't seem to care.

We've tried talking, persuading and even offering incentives but he just shrugs his shoulders and says ' mum who cares when Henry married his wives, how will that affect my life?'

I know he's young and he's got the rest of his life to get an education and a career but it's difficult when I know he's capable of so much more.

Has anyone else had this experience and what did you do?

Thank you

I’m so sorry. It’s so hard at the moment. It must be difficult for year 11s knowing they’re not sitting exams and it’s teacher assessment. I’m guessing you’ve done everything from offering money per 7, 8 or 9 grade? Sometimes that can help!!!
Sixth form is usually better with subjects they like, do his grades affect entry ? Is that a motivating factor for him? My daughter found her motivation herself in sixth form. I’m quite amazed as never thought she would. I bribed with money for GCSEs but also coached on looking at the long term.
I’m sure he will find his mojo again if he had it before - this year has been rubbish. Your choice really is to let him do his own thing and the potential fall motivate him for future - a valuable lesson learned. Or bribe the hell out of him 😬

Thank you. I have offered him money for passing his exams but that doesn't seem to work either.
He's got conditional offers to both 6th form for A levels and a college in the next town to do business and finance but both dependant on his results.

It has been a rubbish year and I do know how he feels, I have days I can barely be arsed to get out of bed and its worse at his age.

I do know he's got his whole life to get an education, its just difficult when you see your kids struggle and can't do much to help - we can only support and be there for them

It doesn't help that his dad is old school about education and has the attitude that he left school with nothing and worked his way up - sadly its a different world now but I don't feel that his dad giving him that message is helpful right now.

He is a bright kid and I hope he can scrape the grades to get into 6th form and then come into his own