How can we teach our teenager not to procrastinate?

For some people, waiting until the last minute is actually productive; it sort of lights a fire under them and gets them going. And if this is a style that truly works for your teenager, then don't be so quick to have him do it "your way." However, if you feel that his waiting is decreasing your child's optimal performance, it is important to consider the reason he waits. Sometimes it's a time-management issue. For these kids, helping them learn how to break down a task/project/studying into various segments can be very important.

For others, they are simply not motivated to perform until they absolutely have to, and a mediocre end product is OK with them. Here are a couple of suggestions for kids like these:

• Set aside a specific amount of time after school during which your kids have to be engaged in school-related activities. This includes homework, reviewing, studying, reading ahead, etc. But they must spend the time on schoolwork. This takes care of the "I have no homework" sagas because the kids are in a rush to do other things. For a teenager, a minimum of 60 minutes a night should be allocated.
• Create incentives for your kids. Although they may not be interested in working toward good grades, they might be more motivated to work toward a reward that they do value and desire.

Bottom line: For many kids, "good enough" is good enough. Many aren't striving to reach their intellectual potential; your son may not be ready to see beyond his bodily changes and social sphere. His priorities are probably very different than yours right now; at this age he is most likely very me-oriented and socially directed. Have a conversation with your son about his goals and expectations. He may be perfectly content with his academic performance. Perhaps a compromise is needed.

My favorite teen joke? How many teenagers does it take to change a light bulb?

None. They just stand there holding up the bulb and waiting for the world to revolve around them!