Discussions

Discussions with a Teenager

1. Between Father and Son
“Perry, did you turn in your English assignment today?”
“No”
“Can I ask Why?”
“Umm, because I didn’t think about it.”
“Can you turn it in tomorrow?”
“I don’t have English tomorrow.”
“But, can you turn it in tomorrow? Will you see your English teacher?”
“Umm, I told you, I don’t have English tomorrow.”
“Will you pass by her classroom tomorrow, hand it in and get some credit for it?”
“I suppose I could give it to her, we’ll see. I probably won’t, though.”
“Is it important to you to stay on top of your classes.”
“I guess.”

2. Between Mother and Son
“Mom, can I get my haircut this week?”
“Yep – maybe a day after school – just remind me.”
(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday all go by and teenager decides to play, watch a movie, and hang out instead.”
Wednesday evening
“Mom, can you take me tomorrow morning before school to get my haircut?”
“Yes, I would be willing to do this, IF you get up on your own before 7am so we can get there when it opens and get back home for the bus.”
“Okay.”
Thursday morning, Perry does not make his way up the stairs until 7:02 – begins to eat breakfast, etc. I stay in my pjs, as I assume there will be no trip to the barber this morning
At 7:15 (he leaves for the bus at 7:13), I am still in my pjs and say, “You better get your stuff on and get out the door.”
“What!? You said you’d take me to get my haircut and then take me to school! Now I am going to miss the bus!”
In complete aggravation, I take him to get his hair cut and get home just in time to change a dirty diaper, order daughter to get out of her pjs and in clothes so that we may get back in the car for piano lessons.

3. Between Mother and Son
“Remember that your regions packet in Science is now 3 weeks past due. PLEASE get a copy from your teacher so you can get it done tonight and hand it in this week.”
“Okay, I will.”
Back home in the afternoon
“Well, did you get a copy of your packet?”
“no.”
“Why not?”
“Because the teacher never said anything about it.”

4. Between Mother and Son
“Remember that your regions packet is now 4 weeks past due. Tonight is conferences. We will see your teacher. Can you get a copy today, bring it home and I will help you with it. MAKE YOURSELF PROUD and do this as a Christmas gift to your mother…PLEEEAAASSSEEE”
Home and playing legos
“So, where is your packet?”
“I didn’t get it.”
“Perry, can you please tell me why?”
Silent
“Perry – I need a sound reason.”
“I’m thinking.”
“I will wait.”
“Well, I got in there and we had a quiz, so I decided to just focus on that instead.”
“Where is the notebook that you were supposed to bring home today?”
“In my locker.”
“WHY?”
“Because I won’t need it tonight.”
(notebook – also missing a notebook check. I offered to help him get it all together so he can show his teacher. It SITS in the boys locker day in and day out)

5. Between Father and Son
“Perry, tell me about these vocabulary flascards that you needed to turn in at the beginning of the week?”
“Uh, well, I *did* the cards but she said she didn’t get them.”
“So, what do you think happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, so, tonight, I will sit with you at the table and you will get through these cards again.”
“I already *did* the cards.”
“But your teacher has marked you down as missing the assignment, so, let’s quickly get through the assignment.”
“I *did* the assignment. She just can’t find it.”
“So, wouldn’t it be better for you to go into class tomorrow with the 5 flash cards and present them to her for a full count of the grade.”
“Maybe.”
“Okay, let’s start.”
The boy then decides to ignore all else his father says and puts on the silent treatment. This goes on for over an hour until mom comes home, realizes what is going on and loses it with her son for the blatant disrespect for his father.

6. Between Mother and Son
Teenager had an assignment due in Tech Ed on November 12. Because he never turned this in and there was only one additional graded assignemnt, he had a 35% in the class. Continuously, I reminded him about getting the assignment from his Tech Ed teacher. On December 6, the boy finally decided to get the assignment, gets through it in less than 10 minutes and turns it in the following day - December 7. That afternoon, he comes home, runs up the stairs and says...
"Mom! I have a 97% in my tech ed class. That's an A!"
"I beg to differ with you my boy.....I have an A in tech ed!"

DAILY…DAILY….DAILY