Unmotivated 17 year olds

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

What becomes of these kids. They have a 1.7 gpa in High School and want to graduate early.(Thinking they'll get into MIT).  Life is a party. What's a good wake up call. Say we get a group together and.....

Sure. Many have family problems, many have emotional problems...but in a year, they get their walking papers and what are they going to? Here in beautiful NJ (12 Ode to New Jersey.m4a ), not everyone can work at Walmart. The community College is filled. They have no plans and no initiative to develop any. Do you have any suggestions? Lots of these kids are so fed up with this school they want to get out as soon as they can. Some have to, because remaining suspended for 3 years is not a viable option. For them I'm thinking of starting a GED study group. We need to do something about the ones that want to go to college (but the high school has deemed 'unqualified') to take theis PSATS and their   SAT's. Then ofcourse theres the money (though I think many of these parents might wake up themselves when they see that their kid is giving some thought to his future. Please: Mother Sanity need suggestions. Summers coming and instead of sitting around smoking pot, it'd be good to help these kids save their lives. Thanks again, Mother Sanity

[larry kremis]

Group counselling is the only thing I can come up with. That way, they can listen to stories from their peers. Hopefully, some of the stories will scare them into getting their act together. Other than that, young people have to keep falling on their face until they hit rock bottom before they wake up, we hope and pray that it's not too late.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Don't know that I have any answers. when i was growing up I never even considered dropping out of High School. My dad was the first in that side of my family to graduate from high school and it gave him a big advantage in hunting for a job. My mother was one of 6 kids and none of them graduated from High school. They all regretted later in life that they didn't finish. Most of the people in my high school graduated. But most of us had no plan for going to college. I went to college for a couple years but dropped out. I finely got a BA degree at age 42. I think possibly a part of the problem is that a high school diploma no longer seems to be as important in the job market as it was for my generation. Today you need a college degree. Most people are at least 22 or 23 years old when they graduate from college. At age 15 to 18, it is hard to imagine spending another 6 to 8 years before you can live the life of an adult. Jackie, this is a very important question. I will try to give it more thought. You are to be applauded for bringing it up.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

You know Robbie, it sounds as though the educational system needs restructuring. College has to be free. At least some colleges. This is worse than the health care crisis.

[darroll]

Robbie is right,

Kids must get an education.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Then there is this problem: How high should I strive to achieve? One after the other the answer is "mediocrity". Has this always been the case? I've never heard of anyone who wanted to be just average, to perform "just average"? Or worse, do the minimum one has to do to get by. Is this new?

[Lowell Brandon]

Jackie, I was a "just get by" kid, and came out with a C average. My brother came out with a A, I think, but he was always doing extra credit, which i would never have considered doing. I can't vouch for my sister, one way or the other.

[DannyO]

If someone gets somewhere because you pushed them, they tend to stop making progress as soon as you stop pushing. It'll never work if you think it's your problem, instead of them thinking that it's theirs. Never. Hopeless.

These kids need to be convinced that it's in their own best interest to make something of themselves, and they need to be convinced that they can actually succeed.

I suggest the Army.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

It worked for me. But I went in because I couldn't find a job because I was of draft age. I am certainly glad that we still had the draft when I was 22 because otherwise I probably would never have gone in the military.

[Bull]

Robbie
I have thought for years some sort of two year conscription, not just military, but community service. Might give kids that don't know where their lives might lead more time and some added insight. Deciding what to do with your life at eighteen can be a difficult decision.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Good News! Americorps? I will look into it. Do they still have the Peace Corps?

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

The army tends to work well, because when someone is shooting at you, you tend to develop 'motivation'

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Your right. Pushing is always futile.