Thoughts needed for my plan with my aspie

[Pajama Mama]

Ds10 has AS/ADHD. He is a very smart kid b u t he is ridiculous when it comes to schoolwork. We are using a cyberschool which has online classes a couple times a week. On the days that he has a class, he seems to think that he's done for the day. Other days, he'll work on math for a 1/2 hr and think that he'd worked all day. He has no sense of time, at all. We've tried so many schedules.

 

Yesterday, I had an idea. I'm thinking of instituting a "time card" system. I don't own a time card machine:) But I was thinking that I could borrow the principle of it. Each day, my aspie will be required to put in XXX amount of hours. The required hours won't always be the same--he has computer classes a couple times a week, he has speech therapy once a week, etc. I will count the classes or therapies as schoolwork. I will list his assignments. He will be required to have me sign when he starts an assignment. Then I will sign it again when he finishes. When I sign it I will write the time that he actually spent on the subject. This will allow him to see the *actual* time that he spends on one subject. He will have until 2PM to have his required hours in. If he hasn't finished by then, he won't be allowed to play outside with his friends. I feel badly taking the friends away because he doesn't have many. But this is the only motivator that I have. I've tried taking TV or video games away and also giving rewards for good behavior.

 

I don't plan on requiring more than 3 hours a day. That is light for a 5th grader. But with all of the fighting that he's done lately I doubt that he's done more than 30-45 min a day on schoolwork. He does alot of reading on his own and building. I will count his interests as schoolwork--after the 3 hours that he's required. I've told him the 3 hrs is the *minimum* required time. You know how aspies are:

Son: "Mom, it's been 3 hrs, I'm done now."

Mom: "But we're in the middle of a science experiment."

Son: "Mom, the rule is 3 hours."

If we go over 3 hours he needs to finish. I've assured him that I will not penalize him if *I* am unable to work with him. If I have a sick kid(or I'm sick) and can't work with him I will give him a pass on work that needs parental help.

 

I hate that I need to write it out like a business contract. But I need to close all the loopholes so he can't use them as excuses. Gosh, this kid will make a great litigator some day;) Maybe I should have our agreement notarized:tongue_smilie:

 

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks

 

Nancy

[Claire]

I wonder if a graphic for his time would help. What I mean is, every time you log his work, you color in a portion of his graph so he can visually see how much he has put in and how much is left -- sort of like one of those fundraising thermometers.

[Pajama Mama]

That's a great idea. He's a very visual kinda guy. He would probably like filling in a graph.