Anonymous
04/13/2026 13:24
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
I have a freshman boy with ADHD, so I really resonate with the post, but I keep looking out to the future and think, I have to get this kid on a good path, or he is going to be like one of the adult kids I read about on here, who mooch off of their enabling parents throughout their twenties. I will keep nagging and pushing them at least until he leaves for college, and he knows that while we intend to 100% suppport the cost of at least his undergrad, the buck stops there. I don't know how else to motivate him other than to set the expectation that he will not be able to live with us or expect any financial assistance after school.
Anonymous
04/13/2026 13:19
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Anonymous wrote:IME, with children with SN, we are not done at 18.Anonymous wrote:I get that you are frustrated. I also have a freshman. It's time for us to dig deep, not give up. We have just over 3 years left.
Yeah, one of my 20 year olds continues to do great academically, but I think I have many more years of handholding the adulting tasks and interpreting social stuff. Empty nest, head full of someone else’s appointments and legal docs.
Anonymous
04/13/2026 13:06
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Anonymous wrote:Kid spends more time on youtube than on school work. Laptop is homework-only and phone has parental controls, but he still manages to log hours on youtube daily and is not motivated to do anything without 10000 reminders and negative consequences.
I am beginning to think I would rather prioritize increasing my own retirement savings over useless lessons for things he asked for and then does not practice, or fights over practicing. This includes sports and music. I am done taking him out for restaurant dinners. Contemplating telling him to get a summer job instead of paying for sleepaway camp. I am not even sure I will pay for the "best college he gest into" if that means paying top dollar for a third or fourth rate private school. He can go to our very medium state school if he won't buckle down and show some initiative with the opportunities given to him.
I’d agree with all of that.
What does your spouse think? Or is he the same way…?…
Anonymous
04/13/2026 11:50
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Parents of older kids—is this a freshman/how many kids are at 14/15? I empathize with the OP though I don’t agree with all suggested the tactics. My freshman son is stubborn and argumentative and creates a lot of family discord and it is exhausting. I can see the desire to throw in the towel—I really can, but it won’t serve him in the long run.
I’m trying to be compassionate and curious. There’s way more pressures and stresses being a teen than when we went through it and I repeat I am absolutely exhausted and it is not easy.
I’m trying to be compassionate and curious. There’s way more pressures and stresses being a teen than when we went through it and I repeat I am absolutely exhausted and it is not easy.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 22:14
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Anonymous wrote:Your post makes me sad, OP, because it reads like you see your kid as an investment rather than someone to love and love spending time with. I get feeling burned out by your kid’s lack of motivation. I’m hoping there’s some good stuff, too, that you enjoy doing together or that you enjoy hearing about from him. If you act like he’s a disappointing investment, he’s not going to try to prove you wrong.
Exactly.
Depressing!!
Anonymous
04/11/2026 22:12
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
I have a very similar sentiment about my kid.
I’ve curtailed the effort and I’ve come to terms with the fact that he won’t be a straight A student.
I make him do hw, I reward him for semester As and take away privileges any time he has a running C or god forbid a D (he loooves going down down down and then pulling it up to a B-), I am trying to make him cut this cr*p.
However I don’t enroll him into stuff that is expensive, only cheap or free and only if he asks. I am also not sending him to an expensive school for his supposed “passion”.
I mostly order food when it’s convenient *for me* so that’s not a factor.
He is pretty good about chores and helping around the house so I think there’s hope for him. He won’t be a brilliant professional but he’ll do fine I’m sure.
I’ve curtailed the effort and I’ve come to terms with the fact that he won’t be a straight A student.
I make him do hw, I reward him for semester As and take away privileges any time he has a running C or god forbid a D (he loooves going down down down and then pulling it up to a B-), I am trying to make him cut this cr*p.
However I don’t enroll him into stuff that is expensive, only cheap or free and only if he asks. I am also not sending him to an expensive school for his supposed “passion”.
I mostly order food when it’s convenient *for me* so that’s not a factor.
He is pretty good about chores and helping around the house so I think there’s hope for him. He won’t be a brilliant professional but he’ll do fine I’m sure.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 20:08
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
They’re just incredibly self-centered at this age. I remember being that way to a degree when I was a kid but nothing like how my DD treats DH and I.
Anonymous
04/11/2026 20:06
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
This stuff is so so hard and OP, I sympathize with you. We’ve had a huge family fight today with my DH basically saying what you just said — DD doesn’t care, isn’t motivated, isn’t grateful and is disrespectful and he is done with giving her stuff (money, rides, etc), if she isn’t even going to try. She has to be reminded 100 times to do things we’ve been reminding her to do since she was small, like pick up her room, clean the toothpaste out of the sink, etc. if we nag her, she’ll do it but good grief, it’s exhausting.
He said it’s three more years. I’m not ready to throw my hands up and walk away from her. But she is stubborn and I am reaching my wit’s end and not sure what else to try. I feel this post so much.
Also a hs freshman.
He said it’s three more years. I’m not ready to throw my hands up and walk away from her. But she is stubborn and I am reaching my wit’s end and not sure what else to try. I feel this post so much.
Also a hs freshman.
Anonymous
04/09/2026 06:54
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
if there is forward progress try to keep at it. Small steps add up over time. Our children are not on the same timeline as non SN children.Anonymous wrote:I feel like it makes more sense to step back than to continuously lavish therapies on kids when there is very little uptake.
Anonymous
04/08/2026 22:41
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
OP, maybe this is the start of you divesting from your own expectations about your kid, which apparently don’t quite match the kid you have.
If you can meet this moment with curiosity instead of judgment, this is actually where the good part starts.
If you can meet this moment with curiosity instead of judgment, this is actually where the good part starts.
Anonymous
04/08/2026 21:46
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Goes to show you can't be a good parent if you haven't worked on yourself first
Anonymous
04/08/2026 21:14
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Your post makes me sad, OP, because it reads like you see your kid as an investment rather than someone to love and love spending time with. I get feeling burned out by your kid’s lack of motivation. I’m hoping there’s some good stuff, too, that you enjoy doing together or that you enjoy hearing about from him. If you act like he’s a disappointing investment, he’s not going to try to prove you wrong.
Anonymous
04/07/2026 21:36
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Anonymous wrote:I feel like it makes more sense to step back than to continuously lavish therapies on kids when there is very little uptake.
This is where I'm at with my 14-year-old. I'm so burnt out on keeping up with his therapies and school load. I have always cared too much, while he doesn't care at all. But at the end of the day, I can't give up. I feel like I have to give it 100% until at least high school graduation. His failure feels like my failure. College is going to be interesting. I have to believe he’ll find his way at that point. I need hope!
Anonymous
04/07/2026 18:33
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would definitely have him get a job if he’s old enough. My kids have benefited so much from having real jobs where they earn money, are treated like adults (and are expected to act like adults), and are accountable to someone who isn’t their parent.
As for the rest, I definitely would not fully give up on your kid, but if he’s not putting in the effort I also would not be shelling out for the fanciest extracurriculars. I think it’s fine to pull back of what you do for him, but would still talk to him often about what he wants to do with his life and let him know you’re there to support it when he’s ready to put in the effort.
This, mine love working summers.
I agree, but OP has a 15 year old 9th grader. Jobs aren't plentiful in most places in the DMV these days.
A 15 year old can take the lifeguard training certification and work.
Anonymous
04/07/2026 18:23
Subject: Is it okay to divest from your unmotivated kid?
I feel like it makes more sense to step back than to continuously lavish therapies on kids when there is very little uptake.