Teen always late to class
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Anonymous
| My youngest is a freshman in high school. He’s always late to his morning classes because he hangs out with his friends and loses track of time time. He has ADHD and really has absolutely no time management. He’s not a particularly good student, just average. My oldest two were type A, on top of everything, straight A honor students who were never late to class. My youngest is on his fourth detention for lateness. We took away video games over the weekends which is what he enjoys most (the only times he is allowed to play), but it doesn’t really deter his lateness. Any suggestions? He’s a really sweet kid, but this is getting out of hand. |
Anonymous
| I would set several alarms/reminders on his phone and/or watch for the few minutes before he needs to be in class. |
Anonymous
| When his friends go to class, he needs to go too. |
Anonymous
| The next time he is late to class he gets to hang out with you at school the next morning until the bell rings. He will quickly get this under control. |
Anonymous
Yeah wouldn’t peer pressure actually work here? |
Anonymous
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Are his friends also late? Does he care that he's late for class? What are the school imposed consequences?
I wouldn't take away weekend video games because that's not going to help him develop skills to keep track of time. Instead, I would talk to him about what he thinks he needs. An alarm is the most obvious thing, or multiple alarms if he might ignore the first one. This is obviously much harder if he doesn't care if he's late -- in that case, it's up to the school to impose consequences that make him care. |
Anonymous
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Send him to talk to the Counselor. They can help him with some time management skills.
Our school has a year long class that helps kids stay on track and organized. |
Anonymous
| Get an inexpensive watch with a vibrating alarm and set it for 5 minutes before his first class. He has to move to class from where ever when it buzzes. Physical reminders are good, and you can see that he is wearing the watch when he leaves in the morning. |
Anonymous
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My solution would be to try an alarm as others have suggested.
What happens if he keeps getting detentions? |
Anonymous
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Sounds like PPs have some great ideas, but just wanted to chime in with encouragement that this is an area where real change IS possible! My parents were always a little late to everything, and so I learned to be a little late to everything too.
Once I got my first real job, I had to change habits because (of course) tardiness was frowned upon. Turns out I loved the positive consequences of being on time. Not just a happy boss, but SO much less stress for me in my daily life! My DD has learned something similar this year with getting up in the mornings — she started getting up 15 minutes earlier every day, and it has made mornings so much more chill that the change has actually lasted. All that to say, OP, that hopefully you won’t have to struggle forever. Hopefully once he sees that life is so much easier when you’re on time, the new habits will reinforce themselves from there. |
Anonymous
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Get him an Apple Watch and set alarms. Make him be accountable. Late to class no hanging out with friends after school.
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Anonymous
Mine too. 9th grade with ADHD. Would rather be with friends. I reward for being on time. It works better for him than punishment as a deterrence. Gives him something to work toward. |
Anonymous
| I'd tell my kid if they didn't go to class on time, I'd be at the school every day walking them to class. (and mine know I'd do it). |
Anonymous
| Watch with preset alarms worked well for my son. |
Anonymous
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Is there no bell system at his school? When he hears the warning bell, he needs to head to class. No trying to cut it close.
I think it’s fine you took away video games for a weekend |