He needed 100pts out of 200. He got 98. He is very disappointed.

He needs some time to get through this so I am going to give him a few days to work it out.

I was supportive and told him that this test was an aptitude test and not an intelligence test like the ASVAB is. All this is telling him is that he does not have a high level of aptitude for languages. The military is very proficient in finding where a person fits. With his ASVAB scores they will find a place for him that will take advantage of his intelligence and potential.

I also asked him that with linguistics off of the table is the AF still the best way to go and recommended that he consider talking to all of the recruiters about what MOSs are available to him in the other services as well as talking to his recruiter about the remaining AF options.

He was venting about how "stupid" the test was, it was the" hardest test" he had ever taken, there was no way to really study for it, how he did not have enough time, the room next door had the TV on the wall that his headboard was on so he could not sleep, etc, etc, etc.....

As much as I would like to be able to support him in blaming his score on the "stupid test", his neighbors, etc.... I couldn't so I just listened. I did not bring this up with him today but I will in the next few days. He literally could not keep his eyes open in the car after I picked him up until I dropped him at the house. He fell asleep in mid conversation several times. If he had been following a normal sleep/wake pattern I am sure he would have gotten the two points he needed.

He has his sleep schedule so screwed up that he is a zombie. His mom pointed out on Sat evening that he is right back to where he was this time last year when he was a zombie from staying up all night playing WoW and could not stay awake in class, etc....

I think not qualifying for linguistic though disappointing is actually a good thing. It is a life lesson that being a nice person and smart won't get you far if you don't work at it. Whether he chooses to think about it and learn from this remains to be determined.

That said, my heart is breaking for him. He is going to have a very rough journey with many of these types of disappointments if he does not learn in a hurry that effort effects results and makes the decision to grow up.

I will make every effort to not be on his butt constantly or at all for that matter. I will give him instructions on what he needs to do around the house, job aps, etc ..... If he does not do them during the day then he will do them as soon as I see that they are not done.

I am struggling with being the supportive dad for him right now. He is the one that has to suffer the consequences of his decisions and lack of effort. Yelling and screaming just shuts his brain off.

Being supportive on the drive from the recruiters office to the house was a struggle. What I really wanted to do was throw his ass out of the car for continuing to do the stupid shit that he always does. Maybe bouncing down the interstate at 70mph would have dislodged his head from his ass.

But .... none of that . I have to keep my cool and stick to my new mantra.

I am Mr. Supportive, Mr. Supportive, Mr. Supportive ..........