What if the child "suffers" from too high self-esteem (formed by the teachers constantly telling how talented he is, but never doing anything about that, even the opposite, got annoyed by tonnes of questions he was asking). If he thinks he is very very smart, and he refuses to do things that bore him (like homework often is, as well as studying subjects that he is not interested in, although they are compulsory). If he could be an A student, and he is satisfied with a meager C average. If he plans to enter a prestige university (he is in high school now, second grade), and does nothing to improve his grades. Is he plain lazy? No prize, no punishment has any effect on his behavior. Prizes he thinks he deserves by default, punishments he endures stoically and when they are over, as he knows they will be eventually, he proceeds as he was. Clueless mother
Clueless mother