Working Harder Than Your Kids

There comes a time in your child’s life when mommy and daddy have to quit working harder than there kids. My son has, I believe, reached that age. My son is great and yes I am the very proud papa of my 16 year old son. He is great; he is taking personal responsibility for much in his life, he works, he does his chores, he is respectful…mostly, he pays his debts, etc. He is truly a remarkable kid. So, why am I working harder at his education than he is???? Well, honestly, because I know what will happen if he doesn't get good grades and doesn't get into college, or at least I think I know and I just couldn't let go. It’s not that he can’t do school. It’s that he won’t do school. He's pretty brilliant, even if I do say so myself. He’ll get A’s on his exams and zero’s on his homework assignments because mostly he doesn’t turn them in. We took football away from him this year, last year it was his electronic games, his friends his tv. It did little. I have been re thinking the consequences from us. It seems we are working too hard and he just doesn’t care. I don't think he's moved enough for the energy we've expended. I say no more on the grade thing. I think from now on if he gets a poor grade because he doesn’t want to do his home work. Then so be it. His mother and I sat down with him yesterday. He told us that his homework was pointless and he wasn’t going to do it unless it meant something to him. He would only do stuff that meant something to him. Perhaps, not getting into college and having to struggle daily for daily bread will mean something to him later…then again I have two masters degrees and I have a stupid meaningless job and I struggle for daily bread. I wonder if he is on to something. Maybe he's smarter than I am...