How do you get a stubborn teen to "buckle down" with her school work?

She thinks she can fail Chemistry just because it's not a required course. She got behind because her eyesight is poor (we just got her new glasses) and now she just wants to give up. She'll be 17 soon. She's always been very independent and all her other teachers (I went to parent/teacher night tonight) say she is a good student and participates in class.

How do you get a stubborn teen to "buckle down" with her school work?
You should become more engaged in her work. Praise her more instead of saying anything negative. If her teachers say she is a good student, use that to your advantage. Let her know that she can do it and that you will help her along the way. Teenagers need a lot of support and love from their parents, just like anyone else. A lot of teenagers these days are not getting the support they need, and that support really needs to come from the home. Most of the time teenagers do things to get attention. This is a difficult age for them (hormones, dating, and gaining more responsibilities) so it is best for parents to just be supportive of what they do.





I can't promise that she won't be so stubborn any more, but I promise that if she just gets this extra praise and help from you (or another teacher/tutor) you will both be happier.





I hope this helps :)


Goodluck!
Reply:My daughter had trouble just recently with failing grades, poor work habits and turning in homework. I told her if she failed the year that I would treat her as if she was really still a freshman. No drivers liciense, no dating, everything she has been waiting for would be pushed back a year. We have to be careful because alot of times teachers stereotype children early on and treat them that way, giving negative feedback to the children who need positive feedback the most. I sit with my daughter everyday after school and we go through each class she has, we talk about what they are covering in the class, homework for the night, upcoming projects or papers and tests. It takes time, effort and discipline on the parents part but it works, the more your involved the more you can help.





I am a single mom, have been for more than ten years. I think it's harder for us but still important for us to allow our children the childhood. If my kid wants a car, then sure gas insurance and the such she will have to pay, but she will never work because I don't make enough money, work should be an option for them because soon enough they don't get a choice
Reply:I would be limiting the time she spends with her boyfriend. These grades will effect her overall grade point average.





Perhaps the both of you can make it fun at home with what she is learning in chemistry. Put up charts or elements symbols in the bathroom, or up by the mirror. Try to make a game up of what she is currently learning in class. Then hopefully something will start to stick in her brain.
Reply:I'm 20 and I've done the whole high school thing, I know as a mom your very concerned about her education. But depending on what college's or university she wants to go to she can always take another type of science class. As the whole boyfriend thing there was nothing my mom could tell me. Just try to reason with her because what alot of mothers don't know is if you try to force your teens to do something theres a 50% chance there going to do it anyway...... good luck!!
Reply:hey i am 15 and i am a good student and i usually get honor roll but ever since i got my own computer/tv/ and cell phone ive been failing a lot of my classes and don't even bother. the only way i can do my homework and do good in school is if someone takes those things away from me. set rules for her. like only allow her on the computer maybe 30 minutes a day, or cell phone goes off for 2 hours a day to complete homework, and no tv until 6. make up your own rules, even if she gets really mad. she'll get use to it eventually. goodluck
Reply:I'm going to be honest, my parents yelling at me to do my schoolwork never worked. They always threatened to take things away and ground me, but I didn't care. The thing that got me to actually try in school was thinking about my future. I knew I'd never get to do what I want if I didn't do well in highschool. I don't know how you'll get her to do that, but it worked for me. I went from C's and D's to straight A's. Good luck
Reply:Um thats easy just lock her in the volt until summer lol its simple just take her things away and watch her every night to see if she brought over some Chemistry HW as in homework


and make her do it and if she has time to use the Compu like reduce the time thats all i have to say i hope this knoledge will help ur child succeed
Reply:talk to her about it. tell her that she can't fail chemistry and maybe you should get her a tutor. maybe she needs help with chemistry. explain to her that it's not too late. she seems like a good girl and doesn't seem like the type that needs so many consequences.





i suggest you get her a tutor and maybe make her come home earlier until her chemistry grade improves
Reply:This one's easy. Take her for a ride. Go to skid row. Get out of the car and walk with her down the street. Have her observe the homeless and the less than desirable culture there. Tell her that unless she not only succeeds, but EXCELS, she may wind up there, too. After all, you won't be around forever to provide her with room and board.
Reply:you need to let her know chemistry is important even though its not required. I thought that a lot about classes when I was a teen too, that b/c it wasn't required I didn't care to even try. Now I regret it b/c I could have learned a lot more.
Reply:Offer her money!! that alwasys works my mom put tags on my grades like whenn my report card comes out if i have a A thats 20 dollars a B thats 15 a C that 10 a D that 5 and a F 0 and grounded lol but it works cuz i be trying to make A's and B's to get money.. try it ...oh yea CHEMISTRY IS SO HARD!!
Reply:well as a teen i can say for me that if u take away my things i would reble back not try to get them back so u might wanna try other methods like not letting her see/talk to her bf untill homework is done and if u have no way of knowing wat the h.w. is then go to the school everyday and ask the chem. teacher if she has h.w.
Reply:im sorry to say, but tat is more of her choice....im a student, and (10 grade) and what keeps going is know what job i want and what i need to do to get it, plus im scared about failing, so i know when i need to work...but trust me..grounding will not work..just make het more stubbern
Reply:when she comes home from school make sure you have taken away her stuff. or this what my dad did with me it was like do a run and ill give you burger king for dinner. do something like that and bribe her with the thing she wants the most.
Reply:it is very easy to give up when you are so far behind. offer her a tutor to get caught up. it is not the end of the world if she makes a bad grade.
Reply:take away her cell phone any communication device or music and dont let her chill wt her friends anymore till she gets her grades up. she thinks it wont hurt her but it hurts ur gpa and possibilities of getting inot a college.
Reply:well if they are not doing it take away all the things that they can use like the mobile-TV-DVD player and stuff and only give it back to then when they start working over a period of time
Reply:Just tell her if she wants to get into a good college, she'd better start working harder. This is her problem, not your's, so let the natural consequences take care of it.
Reply:You can't .. Trust me .. My mom tried n it never worked. She'll do what she needs to get by.
Reply:well maybe you should take away some of her prized possesions? idk imma teenager and when my parents do that i rlly buckle down to get it back..hmmm depends...
Reply:take away everything and suspend her from her job..you might even have to work with her on chemistry..my mom did that to me with math..brought my grade up 20 pts.
Reply:the job is fine, i have one and im 16, but if you ban her from her boyfriend untill she buckles down, that should work
Reply:One answer.... LOCK DOWN!
Reply:ground her



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