Okay, sometimes being the parent is really hard. Last week I mentioned Blake had a spring formal this Friday. Well, we also made a deal with him many weeks ago that he had to maintain a B average in every class. We should have said at least a B+, b/c the kid really could do straight A's with little effort if he only cracked the book. Being the mom, I would nag him constantly about studying to which he would blow me off. It got to the point that we made this deal with him that if he maintained a B average, then we wouldn't bother him. However, if he went below this, then he was grounded and could not do anything until his grades came up. It isn't like when we were in school that we had to wait until the end of the term before the teacher averaged our grades together. Now, I can check his grades daily b/c the teachers input grades into a computer system and the computer keeps a daily average.Here's the hard part. After begging him to study to which he did not, the consequences have finally caught up with him. He missed 3 assignments and blew 3 tests, so now his grade is at the B- level. So, the consequences of his choices now make it so he can not attend the spring formal (mind you he already rented the tux and bought the girl flowers). He has known of our deal for months. Now, he is rationalizing and trying to manipulate my emotions so that I will give in. The "told you so" part of me says, "You reap what you sew," but the mom side says, "Should I give in?"
For now, unless he pulls the rabbit out of the hat, his weekend will be spent in the company of his parents and his little sisters. I feel bad, but sometimes you have to learn the hard lessons young. When he gets accepted into a great college, I hope he'll look back on this experience and be grateful. Until then, we have to deal with a teenager who thinks life stinks yet again!
4 comments:
Oh my goodness, what a hard thing. You are such a great mom, you will definately have to give me pointers when my kids get older and try to pull one on me. Well it's not me I am worried about it the "softy" that I am married to.
Oh to be a kid...I would never want to go back to those days. I have a soft spot for Blake so I would have had a hard time telling him no.
Tami is just glad you were not here parent. If more parents did what you are doing I would not have to put up with what I do every day. Bombing a test is one thing (sometimes out of our control), but their is no excuse for not turning in assignments (completely in our control). Tell Blake he should give the flowers to his mom instead.
James
Thanks for the encouragement. He's gone to his teachers and told them his plight. One teacher let him turn in late assignments for half credit. He's also stayed after school all week for the extra credit labs. We'll know by 8 am whether he gets to go or not. We'll see if this teaches him a lesson or not
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