Jan. 30, 2008 - Terrible Tuesday
Ok, I'm back with the illiteration......but......it's fun.
And yesterday was pretty terrible.
Found out a friend had a stroke and was in hospital close to us, so we took a few hours after hubby got home to go visit the family at the hospital. Her father is our SS teacher. He would do no less for us.
THIS meant we had to leave small son more or less 'self directed' for much of his school and normally that is NOT a problem. Yesterday, it was.
I only left him things to do that I KNEW he could accomplish w/o my help. He only did a few items!!! I was devastated! It was the old child digging in with that smoldering look that could melt stone when I asked why he didn't accomplish hardly anything.
I am at a loss. But not 'beaten'. I knew this transition was not going to be easy and I knew it was not going to be 'overnight' and I KNEW that once the 'newness' of the situation wore off......he'd be causing trouble again. Past history being what it is, after all.
I may have to drop down to a different year. I am going to the AO or CM site or whatever that deals with LD kids. I cannot let this thing get to me.
I am TRYING to let him have a part in deciding how get this education. Engaged. Active. Helping with certain decisions, making him OWN those decisions so he will see it was HIS choice to do certain things. It doesn't seem to matter and I'm about to take the matter into my OWN hands. This is a tough age with "normal" children.....all his 'issues' are making it worse.
However.......after our return, I held his feet to the fire and MADE him finish at least what I had written, which would have been about a half day. Which also meant he finished up WAY later than normal, in fact, it was getting dark when he finally got done!! Here's what he begrudgingly accomplished.
Bible - read Gen 4, wrote in journal
History - finished the chapter in Story of Mankind.
Copywork - Did Lesson 17 spelling words
Poetry - Read "My November Guest" by Robert Frost. Said it was talking about winter.....I plan on getting a more in depth narration today.
Reading - of COURSE he did his reading in "The Hobbit"....duh.
Art - drew an absolutely detailed representation of a map and weapons from The Hobbit. His assignment was "draw something from the Hobbit that was significant to you". Pretty good job, actually.
History reading - Snow Treasure, not sure how far he got, I'm thinkin' he finished cht. 2
Nature Study - I sat and read the introduction to him about "The Skies". Hubby was there too and was more fascinated than small son......hmmm.....maybe I could get HIM to teach it, eh?
Piano - did a few minutes with his intro to piano book.
All BARE MINIUMUM stuff.
REFUSED to read the Einstien book, the Shakespeare book or his book of missionary stories, said they were 'too hard'.......hmmm........and THIS the child that insisted he could "do" this work??? Will definitely be re-evaluating today. It's been ONE WEEK since we switched over. I need to put a TIME limit on it from now on.
I'm TRYING to keep the lessons short re:CM. 20 minutes. Or less. I'm trying to engage and involve in different types of media and learning. Sigh. I cannot let this get to me.
I WILL figure this out!
Denise aka The Domestic Angel
