Is it just my kid?

[knitgrl]

If we do math before 10:30am, she is competent and can do the problems quickly. Anytime after that, any math becomes extraordinarily difficult and takes forever. It doesn't seem to matter if said late math session is preceded by a snack. Just wondering if any other kids operate similarly, or if there is something else I am missing.

[Guest]

Nope, same.

[Mommyof1]

I hated math in the morning after lunch worked best for me. Other subjects I could do in the mornings. I dont know why.

[nixpix5]

I thought it was just us! All 3 kids must do math before 1030am. If I have to move a lesson later I cringe inside. In college I was this way too. I always focused better in math first thing in the morning.

[Emba]

Oh yes, math goes much better for DD first thing. Actually, everything goes slower after 11 a.m. its like she's been dipped in molasses.

 

DS seems to do better with math a little later though, just because he's so grouchy first thing.

[Farrar]

Usually. Yep.

[Syllieann]

Everybody does math first here too. We use anki to manage our memory work, and it gives a breakdown on response rate by hour. By far, the quickest and most accurate time is between 9 and 10 with another spike at noon. The noon spike is because hunger compels them to get it on with it already so that we can just eat. Before lunch and the end of the day is coincidentally the best time to schedule phone calls as well. The other person isn't going to talk your ear off with nonsense. They are ready to go to lunch or to go home.

[MistyMountain]

I am finding the opposite. Last year we started the morning with handwriting, spelling and vocab and then math and it went well. This year I started with math and every problem is taking forever and being done very carelessly. I decided that was not working and switched it up.

[Miss Tick]

It is never what I would call "quick" here. Before noon it doesn't involve anger and tears of frustration. I would love to find the secret for "quick". My kids do have the sharpest pencils, minimal toe lint, and great bird feeder visitor identification skills...

[Lori D.]

I really think this depends on the student, and varies widely. What a blessing to know so early on in your homeschooling of what you need to do schedule-wise to have Math run so smoothly! :)

 

re: your question of "Is it just my kid?"

 

Well, compared to mine, yes. :laugh:  Another "opposite" DS here, who did MUCH better when Math was the very last subject of the day. Putting Math first or earlier in the day meant all the brain energy was used up for the day, and we had Math melt-downs, and it was tough to get much else accomplished after that. Moving Math to the end of the day freed up all that "brain battery energy" for everything else, and took the stress off of school for DS, since he knew once the Math was done, he was DONE for the day.

 

So with Math and scheduling, clearly YMMV. ;)

 

 

[ErikaElle]

Well, now I'm feeling like quite the lazy. lol... We don't even start school until 10:30-11 a.m. ðŸ˜¬

We just aren't morning people and are night owls, which is likely why I'm replying to this post at nearly 3 a.m.

 

That said, we do all of our language arts subjects (penmanship, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, writing, and reading) first thing and then move onto math, science, and history in the afternoons. Starting with math or "meatier" subjects in the mornings makes us struggle with everything the rest of the day for some reason. 

Edited September 15, 2017 by ErikaElle

[Heathermomster]

DD does fine in the morning or afternoon. I'm the one zapped by afternoon.

[SanDiegoMom]

Math in the morning, but not the very first thing. We have to ease into the morning. 

[theelfqueen]

My kids are older (middle and high school) and we definitely front load our days ... try to get whatever is meatiest done early ... most important or most difficult stuff before lunch... things like band instruments and art history get pit off for later for a change of pace.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[RoundAbout]

Yes! We have to do math first thing in the morning or sometimes we can do it late at night after dinner. The middle of the day is terrible! I cringed when I recently looked at my friend's daughter's public elementary school schedule because they put math last in the day and I wondered how that impacted student performance. 

Edited September 16, 2017 by RoundAbout

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

We are also morning math people!  It gets done faster if we do it in the AM.  

[mellifera33]

It is never what I would call "quick" here. Before noon it doesn't involve anger and tears of frustration. I would love to find the secret for "quick". My kids do have the sharpest pencils, minimal toe lint, and great bird feeder visitor identification skills...

In my experience, this is inborn. One of mine spends 90% of his time playing with his pencil, scratching his feet, looking at everything around the room, etc. His brother picks up his pencil, starts singing a song about his lesson, and gets through it within a few minutes. If I take a bathroom break while he does math, he will race me, and when I return he exclaims "I can math faster than you can pee!"

[Spryte]

I really think this depends on the student, and varies widely. What a blessing to know so early on in your homeschooling of what you need to do schedule-wise to have Math run so smoothly! :)

 

re: your question of "Is it just my kid?"

 

Well, compared to mine, yes. :laugh:  Another "opposite" DS here, who did MUCH better when Math was the very last subject of the day. Putting Math first or earlier in the day meant all the brain energy was used up for the day, and we had Math melt-downs, and it was tough to get much else accomplished after that. Moving Math to the end of the day freed up all that "brain battery energy" for everything else, and took the stress off of school for DS, since he knew once the Math was done, he was DONE for the day.

 

So with Math and scheduling, clearly YMMV. ;)

 

This is us, exactly.  I thought we were the only ones.  :)

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

My DS is like this with reading. He LOVES math - he'll do a lesson, ask for another, then spend all afternoon playing math games (tabletop or app). Reading, though... man. If I can get to it early when he's fresh he does well. If we attempt in in the afternoon, I'm met with "It's too haaaaaaardd... I can't dooooooo it" & flopping around on the floor 🤦ðŸ»â€â™€ï¸

[Lori D.]

Monica's and Sadie's posts makes me realize that the metabolism and natural circadian rhythm of each individual child probably comes into play, as well.

 

DS#2 who needed to Math at the end of the day was always a night owl, flopped around in bed and struggled to sleep, and slept late into the morning. He was "fresh" and the brain full-engaged and ready to think much later in the day, hours after actually getting up. ;)

Edited September 17, 2017 by Lori D.

[tdbates78]

We have to do everything before noon otherwise I lose their attention. Math usually gets done first.

[Arcadia]

DS#2 who needed to Math at the end of the day was always a night owl, flopped around in bed and struggled to sleep, and slept late into the morning. He was "fresh" and the brain full-engaged and ready to think much later in the day, hours after actually getting up. ;)

My DS12 is a night owl too. He does Monday morning work on Sunday night so he can sleep in tomorrow until possibly noon. His AoPS online classes start at 4:30pm or 6pm so he is happy that he doesn't need to wake up early for class. He is now doing chemistry quizzes that are due tomorrow evening because he love doing work after sunset.

 

Oh well, he does well on early morning exams (SAT & AP) as long as it is only a few times a year.

[blondeviolin]

Monica's and Sadie's posts makes me realize that the metabolism and natural circadian rhythm of each individual child probably comes into play, as well.

 

DS#2 who needed to Math at the end of the day was always a night owl, flopped around in bed and struggled to sleep, and slept late into the morning. He was "fresh" and the brain full-engaged and ready to think much later in the day, hours after actually getting up. ;)

This is my oldest.

[misty.warden]

DS can do math any time of day. Reading/Phonics however *must* be done first thing or it becomes a huge fight the longer we put it off.

[knitgrl]

Sigh. We started math bright and early this morning. I started with a BA problem she was having difficulty with yesterday and she totally aced it. She did her drill sheet in record time and correctly. So those two things took all of 7 minutes, maybe. Then we went on to a few MEP problems which were formatted in ways she has seen numerous times before, and we had frustration and tears. Which goes to show that I will never, ever have it all figured out.

Edited October 3, 2017 by knitgrl