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OT - Son is failing

overthere's picture

Does anyone have any suggestions on how they got their teenager who was failing to step up? He does have ADD but I can't seem to get him to take the meds. and when he is at his dad's house, his dad doesn't reinforce the need for medicine. I am looking for organization suggestions, study suggestions and consequences. Thank you.

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Pilgrim Soul's picture

I have the exact same scenario on my hands. Good luck to us!

How old is your son? Mine's 14.

My money is on maturation at this point. It's delayed. Or on ADHD coach, which is what he really needs. He gets supports at school, but it seems to me his teachers are more disorganized than he is.

Organization: have him write TO DO lists every day and check off the activities that are finished, color code his materials, go through his binders with him, keep a large calendar where he would enter due dates for assignments.

Does the school have a website where parents can see home work? What does the school do to help him?

Study habits: look up Quizlet, Schmoop, Khan academy.

Consequences: everything is a privelege, not a right. Time on the phone or computer needs to be earned. You are in control of all things good and fun. Does he defy authority?

Starla's picture

We dealt with this too and SS was 14 at the time. Tried everything others suggested to us with no luck. SS seriously could not sit still to save his life and he always had what seemed like nervous energy. He was diagnosed with ADHD. What DH found that has worked when getting SS to do his homework, was time limits to get a certain amount of work done properly and having to run short laps or such when he didn't do it. Then he had SS continue where he left off. We weren't sure at first if it was going to work or not but SS slowly came around, he started beating the time limit, started applying himself better, and asked us if he could take a break and go run a few laps then come back and finish his homework. He went from failing to getting A's and B's. Wink

If you try that and it doesn't work, keep trying things until you do find what works. It also gives the Skid a tool that they can use later on in life, SS has thanked us since for that. His dad did most of the dirty work thank goodness.