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So how do you know when your kid REALLY needs to take a mental health day off school, without teaching him that's sometimes it's ok to bail on responsibilities?

You should know when your kid is crazy stressed. Check with his teachers too.

Then schedule a day with them when he won't miss anything. Tell him nothing. Wake him up for school, but take him to breakfast instead. Tell him it's dealer's choice. He can do whatever out of the house with you that day, go home and play video games, or go home and hang out with you watching movies or something.

Do it on a Monday or Friday to make it more fun for him. However, stick to the hours of school. Don't let him forget it's a gift of a day.

GORDON wrote: So how do you know when your kid REALLY needs to take a mental health day off school, without teaching him that's sometimes it's ok to bail on responsibilities?

I'm not sure about the former, but for the latter: Yes, sometimes you have to look after you and tell the world to fuck off. My parents never let me, but I would let our kids. And I certainly do it as an adult sometimes.

In HS my parents gave me the go ahead to skip the ASFAB and go to Hooters with my friends who were doing the same. It was cool.

Asfab?

TheCatt wrote: ASFAB

Oops, ASVAB. Military aptitude test. For some reason everyone had to take it in High School? We'd get a robo-call home if we missed school and I got one for the Hooter's trip.

Troy wrote:

TheCatt wrote: ASFAB

Oops, ASVAB. Military aptitude test. For some reason everyone had to take it in High School? We'd get a robo-call home if we missed school and I got one for the Hooter's trip.

I aced the ASVAB, but I was actually joining the military.

Why would your school make you take it?

Leisher wrote:

Troy wrote:

TheCatt wrote: ASFAB

Oops, ASVAB. Military aptitude test. For some reason everyone had to take it in High School? We'd get a robo-call home if we missed school and I got one for the Hooter's trip.

I aced the ASVAB, but I was actually joining the military.

Why would your school make you take it?

IDK - we definitely had a 2 hour period where all seniors were directed to go to the gym for it. This was in NC.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB is the military's entrance exam that is given to fresh recruits to determine their aptitude for various military occupations. The test is also used as a recruiting tool in 12,000 high schools across the country. The 3 hour test is used by military recruiting services to gain sensitive, personal information on more than 660,000 high school students across the country every year, the vast majority of whom are under the age of 18. Students typically are given the test at school without parental knowledge or consent. The school-based ASVAB Career Exploration Program is among the military's most effective recruiting tools.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2012 ... as-schools

To be fair, a lot of people need to be handheld into self discipline. I was one.

Others will skip and go to Hooters, which is also fine.

That reminds me, I was having dinner with a judge the other night, and he hated lawyers.

Never heard of the ASVAB, but I went to a snooty private high school.

GORDON wrote: To be fair, a lot of people need to be handheld into self discipline. I was one.

I certainly made plenty of bad choices in college when given more control, but it all worked out. On the other hand, maybe that game of Civ 2 taught me more than Physics did for the real world?

I blame my broken home for my late teen decisions.

The Marines helped me pull my head out of.my ass, though.

We all had to take the ASVAB as well. Well, I dunno, maybe it was optional, but pretty sure all the boys took it senior year.

Troy wrote:

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB is the military's entrance exam that is given to fresh recruits to determine their aptitude for various military occupations. The test is also used as a recruiting tool in 12,000 high schools across the country. The 3 hour test is used by military recruiting services to gain sensitive, personal information on more than 660,000 high school students across the country every year, the vast majority of whom are under the age of 18. Students typically are given the test at school without parental knowledge or consent. The school-based ASVAB Career Exploration Program is among the military's most effective recruiting tools.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2012 ... as-schools

I'm glad for that information, but holy shit is that a biased article. Talk about propaganda.

Thinking more about the ASVAB in school, what a great yard stick to see if CC or "teaching for the funding test" are hurting our kids. I aced it and never learned CC. (But this is probably a discussion for a different thread.)

I think the military should be pushed more in schools. As Gordon said, it's a great place to learn self discipline. Not to mention you can learn a trade (for free), get actual on the job experience, actually live like an adult, get in great shape, get exposed to many more people and cultures, make tons of cash to put away because you really have no expenses, AND get a free ride to college.

Honestly, take away war, and going to the military over college is a no brainer. FYI: Most military members don't come close to any combat, and if you join the AF or Navy, your odds are even lower.

I remember reading a Fortune 500 article in the 90s, I think just after I had gotten out, and they had polled all the F500 CEOs. The question was do you prefer a college educated candidate or someone fresh out of the military. The majority selected the veteran with the reasoning: They already know how to do the job, they are disciplined, they know how to take orders, and they know how to give orders.

Even thought I was only National Guard. . . I learned more about myself and real life in the military than I did in college. In fact, learned that college teaches you almost nothing about life, operating in the real world, and what it takes to succeed. Dealing with military command was WAY closer to dealing with corporate management than ANYTHING I saw in college. I would say that 80% of the population would benefit from military service. Even if it was for one year. Hell, the 8 weeks of Basic was more valuable than 4 years in college. I use what I learned in Basic WAY more.

So many things in life, pre-Basic, I would think "This is hard!" Basic taught me "No it wasn't". Made me respect and appreciate a lot of things I didn't previously. I learned that I could do more than I thought as well.

Learned a lot about what NOT to do as well. Plenty of bad examples in the military as well.

The list goes on.

Cakedaddy wrote:I would say that 80% of the population would benefit from military service.

Counter-argument: the Baby Boomers.

thibodeaux wrote:

Cakedaddy wrote:I would say that 80% of the population would benefit from military service.

Counter-argument: the Baby Boomers.

They could use the exercise.

I meant: we had the draft during the whole baby boom era. And they’re the worst generation ever.

Counterpoint: mandatory service in Israel.

thibodeaux wrote: I meant: we had the draft during the whole baby boom era. And they’re the worst generation ever.

In 20 words or less: How?