Reply to 12 year old son has no motivation/isn't happy

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What's with all the quick jump to diagnose this behavior?  He's unmotivated because he probably has a cushy life.  If he were hungry and had no money or food, he'd be plenty motivated to find food.

Too many kids these days don't seem to want to do things that are "boring".  My kids are the same way.    Do you notice that these kids can focus on something for hours and hours that are interesting to them, but then can't seem to focus when they do things that are "boring", like school work?

He's also 12 - preteen, possibly going through some changes, and per OP's description of the kid, the personality traits probably don't help.

You should continue to hold him accountable.  If his grades slip, he doesn't get xyz privilege.

Sure, send him to therapy to find out why he isn't happy if you want to go that route.  But why be so quick to think he might have ADHD?  How about the old fashioned "kid needs a kick in the pants" therapy?

I'm not saying that ADD or depression isn't real.  But I think a lot of kids just need a kick in the pants, or as OP suggested, military school.  Why are we so quick to diagnose everything, that every type of behavior needs a medical label?  Seems like people just need an explanation as to why my DC does this or that.  The explanation often times is just "they are kids that need to learn to deal with life."[/quote]

So you wouldn't rule out an underlying medical, learning or mental health issue, PP? You'd just try a kick in the pants or military school? [/quote]

I think Dr's are just as quick to diagnose kids because they make money off of them.  As I said, have the kid talk to a therapist about what makes him so unhappy, but  honestly, based on what OP stated, the kid just sounds like he's got that type of personality.  Talk therapy might help.  But it seems over the top to have a kid take drugs to change his personality.  Wouldn't it be better for him in the long to learn to deal with his unhappiness rather than be on drugs for who knows how long?

And, it doesn't sound like the kid has any learning disability.    As for ADHD, from what I understand, even if they are diagnosed with this, there are therapies you can use to address it rather than using drugs.

As parents, especially around DMV, we are so aware of environmental pollutants, eating organic, blah blah blah, yet so quick to drug up our kids.  I don't get this at all.
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