Parents often have a hard time getting their kids to focus on schoolwork and get good grades.

What would you do if, after getting a couple of poor grades at school, your mother yelled at you and said that you were no longer allowed to do anything except for schoolwork and chores?

That is what happened to the young man in this story, so he complied literally. He stopped talking to her, working on art, or anything else that he could avoid doing. And to make things worse, he didn’t improve his grades in school. All just to upset his Mom.

Personally, I think he is doing more to hurt himself than his mother, but it is hard to say. Read through the full story below and see what you think of his actions.

Do nothing but chores and school!

My mother is abusive. I am not debating this with the comments, this is a fact of my life.

Enduring abuse is awful.

She does not act in my interest unless it benefits her or makes her look better. She goes through the motions of being a good parent, and puts in no effort to back it up. She yells at me non stop and refuses to acknowledge me as her son.

So, a little earlier in the school year, I got a couple D’s and missed a lot of days because she refused to drive me when I missed the bus. (Yes, making the bus is my responsibility, but I am also disabled and struggle to make it out on time. I’d make it early if she were to drive me when I miss the bus.)

Well, punishing kids for getting bad grades isn’t abuse.

So she said, “Until you get good grades, you will do nothing but chores and school!”

So, I did. Nothing. But. That. I did not speak to her. I did not leave my room. I did not do art. I did not write. I grey rocked so hard you’d think I was the most uninteresting rock in a gravel pile.

Not sure how he thinks he is punishing his mother here.

Mom got concerned when my grades still did not improve, saying she thinks I’d do better if I went back to doing art (in front of the school councilor, of course).

So, I say, deadpan, “You said nothing but school and chores. I did nothing but school and chores.”

Ok, so he is still doing his art.

I am still doing this, actually. I do my art in my room and I don’t show her. I stare blankly at her when she speaks to me.

Careful what you wish for, ma’am. I take instructions literally 🙂

It is hard to judge from such a short story, but it isn’t clear what he is doing to his Mom other than following her instructions. Is it even bothering the mother?

Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about this story.

Here is someone who thinks his mom is toxic.

This commenter had a similar mother.

Hopefully he has outside support.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a group trip that sours when additional guests are added without agreement.

Here is some advice from someone who was abused as a child.

This is good advice.

Who is he really punishing here? It seems like he would be much better off if he just worked harder at his grades.

Of course, parental abuse is never ok, but he should be more practical in his response.