My wife is in tears, saying she's upset...

‌The exam period is approaching soon,
but watching my two daughters (one in high school, one in middle school) acting so carefree...
My wife is shedding tears, saying she's so frustrated..
As a parent, is it natural to scold them(?) and tell them to work harder..
But then I wonder, even if I do that, will they actually do it??
I tend to think, "They'll figure it out on their own..." so no matter how they act, I don't feel much of anything..
I'm wondering if this is autonomy or just neglect... haha