I am worried about Mark ...

My son, who is fifteen, is in ninth grade at the local high school, but he's failing just about every one of his classes.  The only class he is doing well in is physical education.  As long as it doesn't involve reading or writing, he's happy.

I shudder as I remember his most recent report card.  All D's and F's excepting for a B in Physical Education.  

To think that Mark is our son, the son of highly intelligent people, is what makes this situation all the more puzzling.  We have pleaded with him to buckle down with his work, but he'd rather play his stupid video games, watch "South Park" or "Family Guy" on television (what do kids see in that garbage anyway??), or hang out with his buddies after school.  It's no wonder he is failing.  He just doesn't seem to care about anything academic.

Besides Mark, we have two other children, another boy (Ian) and a little girl (Bridget), and the differences between them (or their grades) couldn't be more startling.  Bridget and Ian take after us.  Both are incredibly smart and are in the GAT (Gifted and Talented) program at their respective schools; Mark, on the other hand, is failing miserably.  If he isn't careful, he is going to end up falling flat upon his face.

Maybe we are wrong in going after Mark about his schoolwork so much, but damn it, what are we, his parents, supposed to do??  Let him fail in life or end up in a boring career, flipping burgers or cleaning out toilets, for the rest of his life? I don't think so!  I don't want that kind of humiliation for our son; he deserves far better!!  I guess this is why we are so hard on him about his schoolwork!!

What routes do we take in order to help our struggling son out?  We are both flummoxed as to what the next step is.  If anyone can field any suggestions to us in how to help our son's grades, we are open to any and all.  Maybe it is a good thing that Christmas break is soon; it can get his (and our) mind(s) thinking about other things, because all this school drama with Mark is beginning to drive all of us crazy!!