Teenager - Bad Grades - Leave School Early?

[fionas]

Yep, I absolutely agree Lulu - it's nuts that we try to pressure kids into working out career stuff this early BUT when you're faced with a kid who has completely no idea what she wants to do, has no hobbies or passions that she is putting effort into AND is getting Fs, then I think the choice is either a) work out what you're interested in and we'll support you whatever that is or b) get your grades up so you will at least be keeping your options open until you decide what you want to do. If she was getting reasonable grades and didn't have a clue what she was going to do, we wouldn't care - we'd just let her work it out in her own time.

My and my DP are at opposite ends of the spectrum education and career plan-wise so we know that there's horses for courses. He has been nuts about trains since he was 6 and spent most of his teenage years photographing them and taking trips. He COMPLETELY messed around at school getting As for English and Es for EVERYTHING else. BUT he knew he wanted to be a train driver so he knew his grades didn't matter and he always told his parents this. Sure enough he has been on the railways since he was 17 and still loves it, because it's his passion.

Me on the other hand always got straight As but had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. Went to uni, still no clue. Did a few jobs after uni, still not much clue until I eventually decided maybe communication/PR was the go.

So we all have different ways of getting there and I'm cool with that!

Yes, they are slippery suckers aren't they!

Interested to hear about Sushee's plan.

[Lulu]

Yeah, I do know what it's like , got an 18yr SDD too!

No hobbies, no sports, no interests, wanted to leave school. I was so totally against it, but she ended up running off to her bf's. She gave us the old "I want to be a haridresser' routine. Left school, did nothing for nearly a YEAR. It was excruciating to watch.
She says she was handing in her resume everywhere and that was it. the resume would have only consisted of her name, address ph number for pete's sake. Her school grades were terrible so no good putting her report in.
well finally (after whining about how c'link were on her back to find a job, and how she actually had to pay to go to TAFE), she started in the Deli at Coles.
She's doing well thank god. The only thing I could do was keep reminding her she if she wanted shiny things she has to make the money to pay for them...

*steps on soapbox*

This is why parents need to round their children out and encourage hobbies and passions. When I look back at my own friends, myself and all the kids I used to work with at C'link the things that strikes me is the ones with no education often have so hobbies or sports anything to belong to either. So if they don't like school they have nothing else to do. Literally.

*off soapbox now*

You gotta keep the little buggers busy......