So my son is struggling in school (fancy expensive private etc etc). The ex wants to send him to a very expensive military school summer program at Fork Union Military Academy.
My hesitation is that he is small for his age and that he would be among the youngest kids there.
Any thoughts or wisdom from the collective?
Struggling with bad grades or not listening to authority figures? Most of the kids I saw going to MA needed the discipline of a very structured environment.
Bad grades and poor impulse control. Good kid, just doesn't think through his actions before he leaps.
KyAllroad wrote: So my son is struggling in school (fancy expensive private etc etc). The ex wants to send him to a very expensive military school summer program at Fork Union Military Academy. My hesitation is that he is small for his age and that he would be among the youngest kids there. Any thoughts or wisdom from the collective?
Have you tried counseling? I was in a hard private school... hah, "hard private"... anyway, I was flunking out. I saw an out-of-school counselor. We already knew I had ADHD, but it turns out I'm dyslexic and have epilepsy. I was having seizures all day at school. Explained that. I'm not insinuating he has the same issues as me, but if you want to take another step before you leap, I'd suggest out-of-school counseling with a reputable counselor.
I have always been small and I don't think size will be a problem even if he goes to the military school.
TRoglodyte wrote: Struggling with bad grades or not listening to authority figures? Most of the kids I saw going to MA needed the discipline of a very structured environment.
KyAllroad wrote: Bad grades and poor impulse control. Good kid, just doesn't think through his actions before he leaps.
First quote answers second quote. Of course, without the proper structure/foundations at home, a couple months is not going to "fix" the problems. And of course, some people are simply prone to certain behaviours without any outside factors.
Have you ever considered that maybe your son simply isn't cut out for academia? Ever asked his opinion on the subject? You can lead a horse to water yadda yadda.
The threat worked well enough to motivate Ted Logan.
My dad was a MA graduate and has very fond memories and friends to this day. I have observed that as a group they all seem to have done VERY well financially in life.
It was always my Dad's ultimate threat to send me to "Military School" if I should not toe the line.
I kept a "bug-out" bag at a friends in case it should ever come to pass. I'm the kind of person who needs a lot of discipline and goes way out on a limb to avoid it.
Man I always wanted to go away to one. My parents wouldn't budge. A few months of one might help but when he comes back home he might relapse to his old ways unless the structure at home helps uphold what he learned in a MA.
Maybe take him out of the private school too. I recall there being more discipline from playing sports at a public school than a private school had in general. My own experience though vs. the general populous.
Just because it's a fancy expensive private school doesn't necessarily mean it's a GOOD school. Before you try to "fix" the "problem" with another fancy expensive private school that has uniforms, it might be an idea to get an opinion you can trust about what is actually going on. For example, is he flunking out because he doesn't want to be there and is going all passive-resistance on you? I think you need a lot more information before you make a decision. Asking your son for his views wouldn't be out of place. (If this came across as snarky or rude, it wasn't intentional.)
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