Please help Mums. I am a first time poster here because I really need some advice/support from fellow Mums on this one.
My 17 y/o Son left school after getting his Nat 5s in 4th Year. He came to me to say he wasn't enjoying school and really wanted to do an apprenticeship. I supported him because he had a plan. The apprenticeship was 1 year long and then he would go to college.
He has now completed the apprenticeship and is in College but he says he hates it. He hasn't attended for 2 weeks and he just lies in his bed until 1pm. He has a 20 hour a week job that he does in the evenings.
I cannot physically force him to go. I also don't believe that education is the be all and end all. So whilst I would prefer he stick in at college, I think his overall happiness is the most important thing and only he can know how to achieve that - it isn't for me to say. If that means leaving college, so be it.
But, I've made it clear that he can't leave college without a plan. Lying in bed all day isn't the route to happiness, no matter how much it might feel like it is when you are 17.
He just doesn't seem to have any interests other than lying in bed, learning to drive and going to football with his pals at the weekend. His lack of drive and motivation is driving me up the wall but I am trying to remain understanding and supportive.
I feel stuck. Has anybody else gone through something similar? What did you do and what was the outcome? Did you manage to inspire drive in your teen?