Do you have a teenager who has lost all interest in school and seems to be about to drop out? If so, she’s probably found herself dealing with other issues that may also include anger, defiant behavior, aggressiveness, and disrespect. Much of those behaviors could be a direct response to something that is out of her control.
Dropping out of school can be one of the worst mistakes your child can make. As a parent, you will want to try to identify the reasons WHY your child is no longer interested in school and then come up with a plan to help your child choose to stay in school. Identifying what is causing the problem may even help alleviate some of the other behaviors that are causing the problem. If not, additional help will be required. But for now, start with step 1: identify the underlying problem.
Here is a list of the most common reasons teens lose interest in school:
- struggling socially
- Depression (they are probably losing interest in other things too)
- Has academic difficulties or has a learning disability
- Facing a problem with other kids at school (being bullied)
- Substance abuse (drugs or alcohol)
- A family situation has distracted them from worrying about school.
- A boyfriend or girlfriend who is distracting them.
- Group pressure
- A general lack of interest.
As a parent, you’ll want to sit down with this list and talk to your teen. You don’t need to share the list with them, just use it as a guide to help you figure out what the problem or problems may be. I would choose a neutral and informal place that does not threaten them in any way. Your goal is to have honest and open communication with your teen that doesn’t make them feel defensive or attacked. This is a time of seeking information, without anger, judgment, or sanctions rising to the surface.
Start casually chatting with your teen, finding out what’s going on in their everyday life. Ask them open questions and then just listen. This is not the time to point out problems or things you would like to see changed. Rather, it is a time to really listen to your teen and show that you care.
During the conversation, your goal is to see if you can identify one of the above reasons why they are no longer interested in school. Once you have identified the problem, you can move towards a solution to deal with that problem. Until this step is reached, you will not make any progress in helping your child find a reason to stay in school. Start at the beginning and take it step by step. If you can identify the underlying problem, you can most likely help them choose to stay in school. General behavior should also improve. If not, chances are more help is needed.