Q: My sister's son is in the eight grade. He is not interested in studying. He is more interested in computer hardware and says that he wants to discontinue his studies and go in the hardware field. He does not realise the importance of education and does not respect his parents for anything. He is good at heart but is very adamant and always takes anyones' advice in the wrong way and my sister is worried. Please help us and suggest what can we do to make him understand the importance of education?

A:An eighth-grader is an adolescent and is probably going through a phase of identity confusion and formation. It is a phase when there can be a tendency to follow peer pressure and get distracted by several things. Parents are usually considered behind times and not listened to. Rather than feeling disturbed at being disobeyed, make him realise that for becoming a computer hardware expert, basic schooling is important to reach a high level of expertise, or he would remain a mere mechanic. He can also be introduced to persons working at different levels of computer hardware jobs, so that he can make up his mind what level he is aiming for. Help can be enlisted from his computer teachers at school.