Need help w/teenager ! UPDATE! Pg 4 Thank You!!!!

[Up-the-Creek]

I have a 12 yr old son and a 5 yr old daughter. About a month or so ago, my 16 yr old nephew moves in with us. Long story made short, his mom picked boyfriend over him. Anyway, he has had a rough life. He has been dragged from one crap hole to another all his life. He has never known his father and never has had a father figure. He is a good kid, believe it or not. He has no behavioral problems, no more than most boys his age. School is a different story. His mom took him out of school a couple of years ago,pretending to homeschool him. She eventually had to put him back in public school and he fell back a few grades. He is a slow learner and nobody ever took the time to help him. He is now in the 9th grade. He is having trouble with some classes, the required ones of course. He has allready failed two required classes and lost credits. He does seem to be trying harder now that we are here and pushing him. The thing is,I really want him to stay in school and graduate, but he wants to quit when he turns 18 and get his GED. Plus he wants to go into the Army when he gets out of school and from my understanding they do not accept GED's. (?) He doesn't want to stay in school because he will be 19 when he graduates and he thinks that is terrible. I need some advice on this from some pros who has been there done this. I am new to this and I want to help him and make sure he doesn't follow the same path his mother has for years. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[chicks for better health]

Maybe you can call your local army recruiter. They are very good at motivating, especially if he is interested in going into the service

 

[debilorrah]

Marines and Air Force do not accept a GED, the Army DOES. They Army is a lot less picky about who they accept. I feel your pain, my son is trying to get his GED at 19 before he gets thrown out of a University that accepted him contingent that he got the GED.....

 

[Littlecimarron18]

graduating at 19 isnt bad, most people graduate at 18.
there is a school here called vista, its for all the people who drop out and then decide that dropping out wasnt a good idea, is there any thing like that in your area? the classes there are really small and the teachers are good at getting the kids to pass.

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:

great idea and couldnt agree more! TERRIFIC motivational speakers to get him moving towards that Diploma vs. GED! My DD wont graduate until 18.5 due to her birthday and neither will my son..so 19 isnt bad...

and many colleges / jobs later in life prefer diplomas to a GED - it means (now a days) that a kid can actually dedicate and stick to something. My neice dropped out of HS 3 months before graduation and had a 4 year scholarship to college...

DUMMY she was. Yes she got her GED..but didnt matter. She's now going to be 21 and enrolled in comm. college - but... boy is she having issues getting good paying jobs, even with college.

Good luck!

 

[skeeter]

I think the military would be a great idea,better call a recruiter to find out if he can get in without being a HS grad.I had GED and served 11 years in the Airforce,dont give up on this kid he'll be ok with some love and guidence

 

[NancyDz]

Can he take summer school and try to make up some of his classes ? I think talking to a recruiter is a good idea, they are very motivating. Maybe talk to one before he goes, tell them the situation a little so they know what to push with him. Good luck!


Nancy

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Letting him talk to a recruiter is a good idea, my DH and I discussed that last night. I will see if I can get that set up sometime soon. I am so worried over him,...I just want him to have the best you know? He isn't even mine, but he has been like a son to me for a very long time. I guess legally he is our son, his mom even turned over custody to us. It is a sad situation.

 

[Cetawin]

Contact the recruiter but I believe the Army is no longer accepting GEDs... at least they were not in 2006 when we retired. But it changes constantly depending on the need.

Recruiters are very motivating but I warn you...they are also liars. Plain and simple. Their job is to recruit and stretching the truth is a give. Think Private Benjamin where Goldie Hawn was promised condos and yachts... that is not far from the truth of the matter. A very dear friend of ours in the Army was a recruiter.

No offense to any recruiters or their wives here in the forums but it is what it is.

 

[Shanay235]

My son was 19 when he graduated high school just because of the way his birthday fell.

Since he seems to be interested in the Army, does his high school have a R.O.T.C. program? My son loved this program. You could also try something like the Mountaineer Challenge Academy. It's right here in WV. Everyone seems to have the impression that only deliquents get sent to the academy but that's not true. Lots of kids who just need some extra structure in their lives go there.

http://www.ngycp.org/site/state/wv/