WCC

I'm not saying that my son has to grow up and be an athlete, but most kids want to be an athlete. And he doesn't? Just today he turned down going to our High School team's first football game in Amarillo, and decided to go to a rock concert here in Lubbock I swear I've never seen a kid who would rather go to some concert than support his team!

Um...Excuse me for wanting my son to be a real man and not a !

It's just the fact that he's so different from everyone else in his class/year. We live in a small town so everyone knowsa everything about everyone, except my son, who I hear no one talk pridefully of (unless it's adults telling me how polite and mature he is) him. My husband just gets mad because he hears about our athletes all the time, and knowing that our son will never be one of those athletes is frustrating. My other son on the other hand is an athlete, does what he is told and respects authority figures. True, he is a spoiled immature, high maintenance brat, but at least he cares about self image and making us proud.

We're in West Texas. So yes, honor is very important around here.

Thanks all for the generous advice. I wouldn't say my son has a bad case of apathy, but he is pretty anti-social. He has never been to a dance, or done anything extra cirricular for the school other than percussion in the band. He also gets in a sour mood when he goes to parties or something along that line. My husband and I were both raised in conservative, disciplined, traditional families, so it's hard to deal with a child so different from us. I guess it means on what you mean by 'disrespect.' No, he is never blatantly disrespectful to us, he's always been very polite and easy going, but my husband finds him to be disrespectful because he questions our decisions too much (regarding him and what we do). For instance, my husband is a very prideful person, and always thinks that his way is the right way. My son has proved countless times to him that this he is not always correct, but my husband also sometimes gives my son verbal abuse when he asks questions like 'Why?' Also, my husband is very competitive and hates being wrong, so I guess he counts my son's questioning as disrespect. He has about only 3 friends that he spends time with. He missed a Stop sign and almost got us killed.

I am 41, and the mother of two boys and the wife of a great husband. But anyway, straight to the problem. My 15 year old is very different from the average teenager. -He's very mature for his age, and prefers conversing with adults more than kids his own age. My friends tell me all the time that he is very articulate and wise. -He has NO interest in sports what so ever. My husband finds this devastating. My son's a music kind of guy -He has never had, nor is interested in having a girlfriend. -He cares nothing of what people percieve him as. -He rarely respects authority figures. -He prefers to be alone rather than to spend time with other teens. -After a terrible driving experience, my son refuses to take the test to obtain his learner's permit. -He doesn't care about honor. Myself and m husband are having diffucultes understandng him. Any ideas?