threadwalker: (Default)
threadwalker ([personal profile] threadwalker) wrote2008-01-24 01:48 pm

Feedback welcome: on parenting

My current question:

I see a ton of teens getting out of high school with no idea what to do with their lives. They hate school, so they don't go to college. Or they go to Junior College and putter around there for 10 years or so. To me, they appear directionless and with no drive to do anything with their lives.

I want my kids to pick a career path or vocation, regardless whether it involved college (although I prefer them to go to college). I want them to grow up, move out, and be big people in the big-people world. How do I get my kids to choose a life path that doens't involve laying on my sofa watching TV or plugging into computer games and guzzling Purple Flrup(1)?

All thoughts and feedback welcome. Feel free to ramble. You don't need to be a parent to have an opinion or insights.

Later I'll post what I've already started doing. I suspect the soft-fuzzy folks who prefer to solve family conflict with cookies and hugs will think of my house as being run by the Boot-Camp Mom from Hell.

(1) Jimmy Neutron reference.

on parenting

[identity profile] cathyblancett.livejournal.com 2008-01-23 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
When I was at the gym today I overheard something that was very interesting. One parent was saying that they give their high schooler a daily wage.... if they go to school they get a certain daily wage, if their grades are A- or better they receive a bonus of 10% of their wages for that qtr of school. If it is a B- or better 5% if C- to C+ no bonus but if it is D+ or below then they reduce their daily wage -- but I didn't hear by how much.
I just thought it was interesting because it teaches the kids that to earn money they must go to school regularly and if they want a bonus it directly related to their work performance... hmmm much like our work. but for a D+ or below we would be fired.
Cathy