Thursday 1 February 2007 - Of KWAD*s and pencils…
*KWAD = Kid With Attention Difficulties. Like most people who deal with it on a daily basis, I definitely believe in the existence of ADD/ADHD; however, I hate use of the term “disorder” and try when possible to avoid use of the final D. “Difficulties” seems to pretty much cover both D’s. And by the way, I am an AWAD (so is my hubby) which makes parenting & homeschooling KWADs just that much more challenging!
A few things I have learned over the years of homeschooling KWADs:
- Stop trying to find a distraction-free room in which to homeschool. There is no such thing. KWADs will always find something to distract them; if there is nothing else around, they will happily distract themselves with pencils.
- Speaking of pencils… Start each learning session with no fewer than 5 sharpened pencils on the table. That way as each one successively ends up on the floor or has its point broken off or its lead ground into the paper, one needs only to grab another until the supply has run out.
- Keep said collection of extra pencils out of the reach of the KWAD.
- Avoid at all costs the use of mechanical pencils with the KWAD, especially cheap ones that come apart easily. They are even more of a distraction than regular pencils.
- Have a ready consequence for grinding pencils into the dining room table, but be sure to differentiate between grinding out of distraction, out of frustration, and out of defiance.
- Count the number of pencils in your stash and multiply it by 73. That is how much patience you will need to make it through your learning session.
- Keep a ready supply of chocolate in your top dresser drawer. If you make it thru your learning session without hollering at your KWAD, reward yourself with an amount of chocolate roughly equal in ounces to twice the number of times you had to go replace the stash of pencils. If you did not make it thru without hollering, give yourself some chocolate anyway; it will help to speed your recovery.
- If none of the above seem to work for you and your KWAD, consider adding a padded cell in your basement. Make use of it whenever the need arises. Oh, this is not for your KWAD; it is for you. Be sure to keep it padlocked and stocked with chocolate. Pencils optional.
|
[Post A
Comment!]
[Send to a Friend!]
|
Comments
283 of 306
More Great Stuff (Newer) | More Great Stuff (Older)
|
|
This is a sidebar. It is full of all sorts of fascinating stuff... bloggy stuff, family stuff, homeschooly stuff... It's almost (but not quite) as interesting as the blog. So read it.
About This Blog
My posts may be funny or thoughtful or boring;
they might have you laughing or thinking or snoring.
But this blog is worth reading and never ignoring.
You'll find yourself loving it, never abhorring.
I hope.
Categories
� Celebrayshuns� Homeschooling and Other Forms of Insanity� Life at Our House� Miscellaneous Musings� Photo Blogging� Random Remarks and Ramblings� Rich Words and other great quotes� This Thing Called Parenting� Trippin' Out� Weather You Like It or Not
Entry
283 of 306
More Stuff You Should Read | Even More Stuff You Should Read
Links
� Home Sweet Home
� Look at Me!
� Oldies But Goodies
� Feed Me
Rezident (and Not-So-Rezident) WACKOS...
"Hubz" (48): Self-employed entrepreneur who works from his shop next to our house. Has I-don't-know-HOW-many businesses simmering on one burner or another. Tho' a talented woodworker, he currently works mostly with plastics, designing & building displays. Enjoys building creative furniture for the kids when time & energy allow. Hobby consists of taking kids on dates; eats & sleeps in his spare time.
The "Miz" (44): Oh, like you need a description of me. Read the blog!
And the kidz...
"Biz" (Son 22):
Recent college grad, living with friends. Deciding whether to teach English abroad in the fall or buy a house. Enjoys reading, writing, computer & video games, music, hanging with friends, travelling. Occasionally stops by the house for a good meal. :-).
*Homeschooled thru 6th grade, plus 8th grade.*
"Cheez" (Daughter 18+):
Recent high-school grad, working full-time this summer. Hopes to eventually write and travel, perhaps at the same time. Enjoys reading, writing, superfluous vocabulary, and the piano. Definitely her own person.
*Homeschooled thru 8th grade.*
"Spaz" (Son 13++):
Highly sociable, sensitive, makes friends with anyone. Struggles with ADH issues, but charming & loved by many! Plays rocket football in the fall and watches pro & college ball all winter. Loves to read, learn, make up his own arrangements on piano, tease his sister, make interesting things out of Legos, and :P play video/computer games.
*Has always home-schooled.*
"Fuzz" (Daughter 10++):
Artistic, musical, highly creative. Sweet, sensitive, very "on top of things", routine-oriented, stubborn. Great policeman & back-seat driver! Loves piano, reading, drawing, making stuff, creative playing, and anything "Little House". Asks great questions & makes great observations.
*Has always home-schooled.*
Cheez, Fuzz, Spaz, & Huz (2006)
What Type of Homeschooler Are You?
Well, here's MY description:
Over 16 years of homeschooling, I've evolved to a less formal, Charlotte Mason-ish eclectic approach with a more-or-less classical bent. (Isn't that clear as mud?) My goal is to �light the fires� of learning and creativity in my kids. I emphasize history & literature because we enjoy them, and I incorporate informal language arts into much of what we do.
Er, yeah. That's how it's SUPPOSED to go. The reality of it is...
After 16 years of homeschooling, I have yet to really figure out how to do it. So we muddle along, overemphasizing history and almost sort of neglecting science, and I spend way too much time making plans that we don't stick to anyway. We read a lot, and we like words, and we don't manage our time very well, and sometimes I yell.
And here's how quizilla sees it:
Mr. Potato Head:
"You have your ideal of how things should look, but you're flexible enough to allow for change. You are not bothered by changing methods, mid-course if necessary. You use an eclectic combination of curriculum sources."
Um, yeah, that works, for the most part.
Take this quiz!
|
Friends
� drewsfamilytx
� TC
� chickadee
� grace4gayle
� Stephanie10
� 3menandalittlelady
� tess
� CelticMom
� socalval
� callmekate
� CarpeBanana
� tiredmom
� henryteachers
� BevG
� MOMflippedisWOW
� AngtheFLYingKiwi
� jugglingpaynes
� crazybusy
� jillconnelly
� cahanbury
(One of these days
I'll try setting this up
to link to my
Non-HSB friends as well)
Entry
283 of 306
More Great Stuff (Newer) | More Great Stuff (Older)
Hits since July 1, 2007:
Free Web Counters
(Altho' to be honest, more than a few of those hits are, um, me.)
This is where I would put all my awards.
But since I never seem to get around to
passing on the awards as is generally required,
it would be breaking The Rules
for me to post the buttons here.
Bummer. So the best I can do is to tell you that
I am a Rockin' Girl, that I Make People Smile,
and that my Blog is Excellent.
But you already knew that.
68
283 of 306
More Great Stuff (Newer) | More Great Stuff (Older)
|
Posted by TC
Posted by 
Posted by 
Posted by 
