How do you motivate your middle schooler to do homework and school projects? I have a 14 yo ds who is in the 8th grade. He will do his assignments but do the minimum required to pass. He is a very smart kid but I cannot seem to find a way to motivate him to do what he is capable of. He just wants to skate by. He doesn't seem to care about his grades. Next year he will be in high school and I keep trying to tell him that a good foundation will help him in high school when his grades really count, especially if he wants to go to college (which he says he does) I am just looking for idea as to how others motivate their middle schoolers.