Every parent wants their kids to obtain a higher education. There’s no two ways about it: teens that fail to reach their academic potential and earn a degree can pretty much look forward to a life of thankless, low-level jobs or a very long climb to middle management. Ouch. The Richard Bransons of the world are few and far between, so if your teens think they’re going to become overnight successes based on their incredible and innovative ideas, well, 99.9% have another thing coming. But what can you do if your teens decide that they simply don’t want to attend college? Once they are adults you can’t force them to do anything. But you can try to change their minds, and if talking, cajoling, and bargaining don’t work, there is one other option you might want to consider.

Believe it or not, one of the best things you can do for stubborn teens is offer an ultimatum. Will this make you the bad guy? Yes. But hopefully it’s a price you’re willing to pay in order to give your children the best that life has to offer. Your job as a parent, first and foremost, it to ensure that your kids are self-sufficient so that when you’re gone they can fend for themselves. The world is not an easy place and no one will love your kids like you do, or give them as many chances. So if you haven’t [Read more…]