What are your kids doing today?

[NH Homesteader]

tortoise is your public school decent about individualized instruction or will he have to repeat all of the work he's already mastered? How would he feel about going back?

 

[tortoise]

I'm not sure what they would do! He was accelerated by one of the schools in the district and I'm not sure if that acceleration would stick. If it did, then he would end up in 8th grade at the middle/high school. The middle/high school seems pretty good about putting kids in the classes they belong.

I'm thinking he needs some time not accelerated. He's not willing to work on his ADHD and mindset.

He is tears and tantrums at the thought of public school. He came downstairs and told me how he's going to do 2 lessons per day and get the textbook done in 50 days. He made a chart with checkboxes and hung it in his room. He finished 2 lessons yesterday, but only because I parked him at the dining table after DS2's bedtime.

I don't know what to do with this kid. I've got the advocacy down for him being ahead, but the ADHD makes it so messy and difficult!! His executive functioning is about 2nd grade level, he learns/absorbs information at college level, but his written work is middle school level. The discrepancy is getting more and more difficult. I've been hoping that he'll find a passion for something that will make him willing to work on his weaknesses, but no luck so far.

I figure if he has no intrinsic motivation, public school is a good place for him to sit and wait. Stress exacerbates my symptoms and his school refusal is my single biggest stressor. I think he can be someone else's problem for a while.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Raising one of these kiddos is such a challenge... My son was the same. Wicked intelligent, but never challenged enough by teachers with no patience. And, in most cases they are over worked, and under paid and a challenging student is alllllllllll they need to make their day, lol. He never did homework - never did classwork - but aced every test he ever took.

His standardized test scores were off the charts, usually raked in the top 1 - 2 % in the nation - but schoolwork was "not his thing". For years all we did was battle it. Finally I told him to just graduate. I didn't care if his grades were high as long as he passed. He tried college, and it was better - especially the Marine Robotics program which he excelled at! He is amazing at working with his hands in electronics... jaw-dropping amazing. But the school cancelled the program because the instructor went and DIED - and they couldn't find another... geeze.

However, I am pleased to say that in his mid 30's he finally matured. Couldn't ask for a better son. He's a good husband, a hard worker and has found his niche in life.

I know that's a long time to wait - but there is a reward to these kids when they finally "find their place".

 

[NH Homesteader]

I worked with a fair amount of kids like that. It can be so frustrating for them to have to do things that are difficult when their brain is otherwise so far ahead. Some teachers are really good at helping kids like that... Others not so much. He would probably be eligible for a 504 plan if he needs accommodations/protections in order to be able to learn well in a classroom.

 

[lcertuche]

DS #3 always throws a fit when it comes to doing something new. He doesn't want me to show him how because he thinks he should know it. He is always the perfectionist. After a couple of hours or a day he will agree to let me show him and then he just whizzes through the problems. I can't get him to understand that a person can't know everything. Everyone needs help at some time. Oldest DS is like yours in that he just decided he wasn't going to do the work. This was to punish me for making him do home school. I told him when he retest to go back to public school they may hold him back if he isn't up where he should be but again like your son, he is stinking smart and it probably won't even matter he blew off the year.

 

[tortoise]

DS10 is in his room quietly, supposedly doing math. I told him no piano practice until his math is done. We'll see.... hopefully he pulls through and I don't waste the cost of his piano lessons.

DS2 hovered while I practiced piano and now he's playing with the piano and metronome. Not sure what I'll do with him today. Grandma did alphabet with him yesterday. He figured out how to do motions to "teddy bear" song last night.

 

[NH Homesteader]

DD is currently drinking a blueberry yogurt smoothie and looking at books. She did some letter practice on her tablet earlier... We'll probably work on her father's day cards, do some letter O work (easy peasy, she knows it already)... And maybe do some more planting. It's 80 and sunny today, kind of shocking after 49 two days ago.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

blueberry yogurt smoothie

YUM!

 

[sumi]

DS called me from school yesterday asking me to come get him, he had a headache. Very unusual for him. So I spent some time fussing over him yesterday, which he loved of course. I packed him off to bed early and he felt much better today. He took a fall about 4 days ago and knocked his head, got a black eye for his troubles too. He said the headache is unrelated to that though, but being mom, I worry a bit…

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hmmmm... I would worry too. Hope he continues to feel better!