bluedarling Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 My dd6 was remarkable last year...last year she started reading just about anything, she memorized her Awana book the first month, and she LOVED school. This year, I included her with the big kids, and while she still reads for pleasure, she just isn't motivated with schoolwork at all. Is this waxing and waning to be expected? or should I change what she is doing? She used to sing all kinds of songs (and write the words down to the songs), and now she hates choir because 'its just singing'. She's doing all 2nd grade-level work (a year ahead)...and challenging 2nd grade work imo. She doesn't seem interested in anything but electronics, now, and videos. She used to love all kinds of things....crafts, music, drama, nature, etc. She can do all of her schoolwork without issue...she just doesn't seem to care about it. She doesn't seem to care about anything (other than playing Minecraft or watching cartoons.) Maybe the work is on-level, but too much? or she is now addicted to electronics? (we do limit them...but maybe I need to limit hers further?) Or is this just a phase I should let play out? (She turns 7 next month.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 It's possible you're simply seeing an interest peak. We've run into this with books several times, where DD is at a point where more challenging books than level X often don't interest her in topic, but level X is "B...OOO...RRR....III...NNN...GGGG, mommy!", and she's just plain finding locating books in the library to be more trouble than it's worth for her. We've gotten around this via non-fiction, reading classics and older books aloud to introduce her to the settings and characters, especially ones where the author has written multiple books, and just plain trying to keep good, NOT BORING fiction around for her to find and discover. It's hardest, I think, at that early chapter books stage because the books, frankly, ARE on the boring/repetitive side. It gets better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 My kids tend to have "stair-step" development where there are big leaps followed by a period of stagnation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 My kids tend to have "stair-step" development where there are big leaps followed by a period of stagnation. How long do those steps last? She's had "steps" before, but they were pretty quick. Just wondering how long I wait before I worry something is wrong. :) Last fall was awesome, spring was good....and now...phh. I guess I was hoping for another strong fall, but maybe the steps aren't quite that predictable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 It's possible you're simply seeing an interest peak. We've run into this with books several times, where DD is at a point where more challenging books than level X often don't interest her in topic, but level X is "B...OOO...RRR....III...NNN...GGGG, mommy!", and she's just plain finding locating books in the library to be more trouble than it's worth for her. We've gotten around this via non-fiction, reading classics and older books aloud to introduce her to the settings and characters, especially ones where the author has written multiple books, and just plain trying to keep good, NOT BORING fiction around for her to find and discover. It's hardest, I think, at that early chapter books stage because the books, frankly, ARE on the boring/repetitive side. It gets better. Well, she just grabs the older kids' books off the shelf...not early readers. The lowest level thing she is reading right now is the American Girl series that we are reading for schoolwork. I have noticed in reading with her, though, that she can read many of the words and not know what they mean....Ch. 1 of the last book we read had 14 new words she wasn't sure of the meaning of. That should provide sufficient challenge, imo. I am assigning one book from each American Girl, but she is reading all 6 on her own time (to keep up with big sister, 11, I think). I'm actually more worried about challenging her too much....though. I did ask why she didn't want to do her schoolwork....she dislikes math and Language Smarts....but she doesn't seem to be struggling with it...she's very good at it, actually! She gets really upset if she makes an error, though (which is rare.) Definitely perfectionistic. She also stated that its a lot of writing (again....she's very good at it...but I'm wondering if its too much considering her age.) Writing required from her each day: 2-3 pages of math/facts, 2 pages in grammar workbook, 1 vocab sheet (not assigned every day, but averages to 1 per day), 1-2 notebook pages in science OR 2 lapbook booklets for history. Is this just too much to expect from a 6yo even if she IS an excellent writer? (it totals about 6 pages/day!!) Last fall her schoolwork was pretty minimal...increased in spring, and increased again this fall....her interest level does seem to diminish with more schoolwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I would limit the electronics....shut them down. Refocus entertainment back to books rather than videos/games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 You could also try checking out books from the library at her level, but then not giving them to her. Put them on the coffee table and read them yourself. Laugh loudly, say "Whoa!".... REALLY ENJOY THEM. Right in front of her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Vocabulary building can be done with listening to audio story tapes. Have her choose audio tapes in addition to books from the library, this will give her a wide general knowledge base from which to read from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 FWIW, I've had less intense but similar issues with my DD and math. For her it was a dislike of the level of writing needed, I wasn't making the cirriculum very interactive (I'd show her briefly and leave her to do it) and it wasn't challenging. So maybe one of those reasons is what you are looking at. With six pages of writing a day, I'd start with that aspect and see if that fixes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hee hee! I went looking for information on this topic just now, and found my own thread from two years ago!! Apparently my dd does run in cycles! We're in a stagnation again, and again I was worried. BUT I am learning this child leaps forward, then stalls, then leaps....I guess the trick is to keep her leaping regularly! :) I haven't quite figured out how to do that, yet, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I think 14 words in a chapter she isn't familiar with is quite a lot. Though I know as a kid I read and enjoyed books way above my level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I don't think my DD6 has ever had a problem understanding what she is reading herself. Many of the books I have been reading her she has had to ask about and we have spent time looking up all sorts of words on google (especially the nouns are great to show her as she remembers the pictures more easily than me telling her). As for the writing - this also seems to come in spurts. My DD6 has just taken off with writing in the last month and so now I am expecting more of her during school - she used to complain about having to write one sentence of dictation and now can handle three easily (I will not push it beyond that right now else she will complain again) and will write paragraphs herself. Also how much writing is a page of writing? My DD does about 3 pages of Math a day written in an exercise book - but it is not the same as using the same paper to write an essay on in high school - we leave out a lot of lines and space the work so it is easy to see and more neat - it depends on how much writing is on those 6 pages I guess and what your child can handle. What you could do to tell what it is she dislikes is have a day where you expect absolutely no writing - do it for her, or just do it orally and see if she is much happier or still bored. Then try something else. Fine motor skills vary tremendously at that age - my younger (3 years old) has much better fine motor skills and ability to colour and even write for a lot longer than her sister would have at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hee hee! I went looking for information on this topic just now, and found my own thread from two years ago!! Apparently my dd does run in cycles! We're in a stagnation again, and again I was worried. BUT I am learning this child leaps forward, then stalls, then leaps....I guess the trick is to keep her leaping regularly! :) I haven't quite figured out how to do that, yet, though. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korrale Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Perhaps give her access to audio books that are a challenging read. Even better if you can let her listen to the first of a book in a series. This is what I did with my son. I let him listen to Frog ans Toad audiobooks. And the. He just had to read the entire series because the library happened to be out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 My son changed quite significantly when video games entered our house. He became obsessed with MineCraft to the point we had to limit all computer activity. It was like he was no longer my kid. Didn't want to read, draw, help out, learn anything but MineCraft. We tried to work with him on setting limits, but it never turned out. He now gets to play only at the library (two hours a week with friends), and my kid is back. After about six days he flipped back into my interested, learning inspired, active reader. All the passive technology really impacted him. I don't know if that is your kid, but mine was definitely addicted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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