Study Help and Hints.

Possible reasons a student may not be motivated:
1. It might be a 'senior' thing. Everyone reacts to leaving the school and entering different phases of life differently. Some kids talk about college applications so much that you can't stand it. Others are shutting down and refusing to acknowledge that they need to figure out some things.

2. Other students do nothing in a passive-aggressive 'lets watch the parents dance' sort of way. They really don't even know that they are doing it. There is a lot of power in doing nothing. For these students I suggest a 'give consequences to the behavior' and stay emotionally out of it. Every kid is different and the apporaches need fit the kid. If the kid wants attention from Dad... have dad give it. Mom? too involved? Have her back off. You know if you are just engaging in trench warfare -lots of attacks and no ground gained. STOP FIGHTING if it is not working.

3. Student might be depressed. Seek treatment.

4. The tasks might be too enormous to the student. Break it down into small steps. Do a step a day.

5. Have all of your actions toward the student (as a parent) say "I love you" "I want you to have every choice available to you" "I am going to push you/help you/set high standards for you".

Structural things I would encourage all parents to do:
1. Turn off the TV and video gaming systems -once in a while. Plan the watching more deliberately. Don't just have the TV on...

2. Give a dedicated homework spot. Students that do homework in their room tend to spend the night on facebook.

3. Proofread work that the student does.

4. Make sure students get enough sleep and eat properly. If you can, encourge them to go to bed WITHOUT the cell phone in the room (if they are prone to texting long into the night...) some cell phone plans have parental controls that prevent texting after a certain time...