DS Skipping School

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-13-2005
DS Skipping School
3
Sat, 03-03-2007 - 8:44am
Hi, I've only had this situation once before with my DD a couple of years ago so I'm not real sure what I should do with my 14 yo DS. I just found out yesterday that he skipped school one day last week. He says he didn't want to go to school so he sat behind a tree in a wooded area next to the school all day. I told him he was grounded (so far no computer or hanging out with friends) until he gets his report card which is about 2 weeks. The report card is a different issue but I think he has been slacking in his schoolwork and then depending on his grades we may ground him longer but maybe a different punishment. I was just wondering what other parents have done to punish their child. With my DD she skipped with a boy we told her to stay away from so she was grounded from everything for a month. In this situation I think a month is too long and should I take away everything or a few things or is there some other punishment to fit the crime? Any input would be great.
Thanks!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
In reply to: rue_16
Sat, 03-03-2007 - 4:06pm
don't know how workable this is for you, but when my kids chose to skip school (and yes, it is a choice on their part) they ended up giving up a day of the weekend. They were supposed to be "working" at school and they chose not to work, so now they get to work a day for me. Usually it's something they'd rather not do, and it's always something that isn't part of their regular chores, but most of the time it only takes once of giving up of "their" time to pay back the time they took away from their job. Most of the time I come up with something like cleaning closets, taking all the dishes out of the cupboard, washing them, washing the cupboard, and putting everything back, doing extra yard work, hubby has rented the boys out to farmers to clean calf pens or cut brush out of fence rows. When they're done they almost always would rather be in school than have to do that again. It's usually just a one day affair, there's no grounding above and beyond that unless they did something other than just skip school.
Rose
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: rue_16
Sat, 03-03-2007 - 4:28pm

my daughter skipped a day last term (she's also 14) and it was a first for us...
we were livid - and she was grounded for a week - she couldn't go anywhere but home and school and her computer time was limited ...

she's also having a tough time in school and we've tried to encourage her by finding somethng she really wants (a particular kind of piercing in her ear) and telling her she can get it if she has an 85 or above average at the end of the year... so we'll see.

rachel

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2004
In reply to: rue_16
Sat, 03-03-2007 - 4:41pm

<<<...so he sat behind a tree in a wooded area next to the school all day.>>>

Do you buy this?

I would seem unlikely that a 14 yr old boy would prefer to sit in the woods by himself for 8 hours rather than attend school. Even the most disenfranchised, checked-out students performing the most unbearable school subjects can at least commiserate with friends during their misery. I would think the boredom would be unbearable.
Not that it matters much now. He's home, safe and no worse for wear. I'd keep an eye on future occurrences though. If it were my guys, there would have been an accomplice, with something going on too enticing to resist.

Rose has a great post as far as consequences, and as she points out..if skipping was all that was entailed.