Parenting isn't for sissies

We received a call from the truant officer yesterday! Oldest son has skipped class twice with his on again/off again girlfriend type person. It just so happens to be one of the classes he is failing. It turns out she is also in the other class he is failing, and her class and his "D" class share a classroom. Coincidence? Perhaps. Bad influence? I think.

Ewwww!!! I never ever ever wanted to be one of those parents that pulled the 'bad influence' card. But if the shoe fits...I don't blame the girl. I'm willing to accept that my son may be just as bad an influence on her. We've known it was a toxic relationship for months, and have discouraged him from pursuing it, doing all but forbidding him from seeing her (because we knew what that decree would bring); but this really is a problem that has to be addressed.

I'm going to talk to his counselor about withdrawing him from those classes. He is already grounded until the end of the school year. No phone, no computer, nothing except chores and homework. I am really tempted to pull him out of school altogether and homeschool, at least for the rest of the school year.

I keep asking myself whether I am overreacting. Kids will be kids...blah blah blah...but no. This is a step on the wrong path that must be corrected. In fact, he has skipped a few yards down the path already. His brain is not functional, and I have a right and a duty to claim parental override.

The conversation went something like this:

Will: We got to talking and had already missed the first twenty minutes...

Me: Did you think you would not get caught, or did you not care about the consequences?

Will: A little bit of both, I guess. Other kids haven't got caught...

Me: You mean they haven't got caught yet?

There were also questions about goals and expectations, the future, overall cocky attitudes, and apathy.

and then....

Will: Please, just let me have a chance to be a good influence for her?

Oh I think that time has past.