re: So, my wife and I had to discipline our daughter for not putting forth effort in school

Don't trust the school to educate your child. Give her books to read, including the Bible, and make her write book reports. One book, one report every two weeks during the school year, one per week during the summer.

Give her other writing assignments. Essays like Why Is School Important, What Do I Want Out Of Life, and What Is My Purpose In Life.

Watch quality TV and movies with her. Discuss them afterward.

Good luck and God bless.

Your daughter takes after your wife. Seems like there's a mental problem with your wife also. Take the drive through rich neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods and explain to her the difference is hard work (like education). Make her earn money for things like her cell phone, etc. I used to pay my kids for grades. Not cheap, like $75 for each A, $40 for each B, $10 for C's, and paid them for chores. All graduated college and are doing great. Your wife might be problematic.

I'm not going to read this whole thread to see if this is mentioned.

I struggled through school, tutors, after school care, you name it. For some reason things just didn't click in my brain until I was well out of High School.

Perhaps she just doesn't understand the method of teaching. Look for alternative teaching methods to arrive at the same conclusion.

Example.

In my senior year of HS I struggled with simple long addition and algebra. My mind just couldn't do it the way it was taught. Then I watched an alternative math video a couple years after I graduated and it was simple.

Sometimes the teaching methods don't reach everyone.

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I couldn't answer her so I brought it here to the OT.

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And, as usual, seeking validation from strangers won't solve the simple issues in life that you frequently seem to struggle with.

I do have to give you credit though. It's been awhile since you've come here and posted about your sweet wife in a bad light in order to make yourself look better than you really are. Hopefully this is just a temporary relapse.

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"What's the point of all of it? What's the point of pushing her? What's the point of going to work? What's the point of having stuff? What's the point striving for more and more? What's the point of even living when you're just going to die anyway? So, what's the point?"

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Tell the wife
The point is you brought a human into this world and it is your responsibility to raise a functioning member of society, not just cut loose another psycho.

Ran into something similar with my daughter when she was around 7 or 8. We explained that each member of the family has a role to play to contribute. The parents work to provide the children with necessities and the children's "job" is to go to school and get an education, learn things, never stop learning. Question everything, the books, the teachers, even us.. don't just accept what you're told as true challenge it.
It seemed to help and the light came on and school has been a breeze for her every since.

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My wife continued, "What's the point of all of it?....So, what's the point?"

I couldn't answer her so I brought it here to the OT.

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The point is we are on Page 4 and it's time you PIIH*B.

*WIFE'S, not daughter.

This isn't Arkansas.

That's a tough situation and I'm sorry to hear hamm tiger. I think that the best responses so far are those suggesting other forms of teaching and a possible visit to your doctor. For starters she's your baby girl and just trying to make a kid understand consiquesnes is the hardest. Mine are 5 and 2. Every time the ask for something or say "thanks dad" I mention that it takes an education to get these things. I'm trying to etch it into their little brains that it allllll takes money and without an education they'll have none. Also, you neee to have a sit down with the wife and come up with a much better solution than giving up on your kids. My wife will at times make similar comments regarding discipline and I try to handle it with a "fine, I'll be the only parent here". That usually makes her feel bad enough that she'll catch her head and switch gears back to good. Good luck to ya

I have thought for years there's no point to having a job in your only life.

Then I got a really good job because of the effort I put in.


You could have incrementally taken things away though.

Some of the comments about rich and poor being the end result of effort and education and not is something that would drive liberals crazy.

Liberals see it as something deep-seated.

OP needs to take his family to glacier national park.

The beauty there should answer some questions.