Just want to shake her!

Jenna is frustrating me. She's such a smart girl. But she's not trying. Her teacher has talked to me a few times about her lack of effort at school. Her marks are falling dramatically, and I don't know what to do! I've never worried about Jenna. Maybe that the problem.

Last year she would bring her homework home on Monday, and be so excited about it that it would be done and ready to hand in for Tuesday morning! This year is a completely different story. She brings her homework home on Monday, and Thursday night I'm pulling my hair out because she's been so lazy about it, and we're struggling to get it done. I'm soo not used to nagging her about getting it all done.

I think the worst part is that she's just not TRYING!! She'll pretend to try. When she's reading she'll make the sound of the first letter (if that) and then say "it's too hard, I don't know it." Or "this word is way too long, it's hard, i can't do it" And no matter how many times we tell her that she's so smart, and so talented and so wonderful, she still won't try to prove it to us.

At her Parent/Teacher interview we talked about it with Jenna (her teacher and I), and Jenna said "I'll just stay in at recess to finish my work". Um NO! Not the point dear! So then her teacher said that if Jenna was able to prove that she was trying her best, and started getting her work done in class, that she COULD stay in for recess, to do FUN stuff. Not her work. Jenna was really excited about that. But it hasn't happened yet. She just doesn't seem to care that she's falling behind.

I can't threaten her or bribe her any more than I already have, nothing is working to motivate her.

I do have one thought, and that is that Jenna sits beside the smartest girl in the class. M gets to do lots of extras and fun stuff because she gets her work done so quickly. Jenna is jealous. She's very competitive (like her Mama). I'm wondering if I should ask for Jenna to be moved to sit next to someone more on her level? Maybe she'll gain some confidence back? Do I as a parent have the right to ask that? I guess it can't hurt to ask right??

And NOW! She keeps calling to come home from school, saying that she's sick. It's happened 4 times now this year. And not once has she actually been sick. But it's been too late to take her back to school once I realize it :( But she swears nothing is going on at school to upset her.

I just don't get it. I feel like pulling a move from the V8 commercials, where the people get bonked on the head for not eating their vegetables. But I doubt it will do any good :(