I've tried being more hands off, but maybe it still isn't enough. He will be taking IEW online starting in Jan. so we will see if that helps. If it works I will try to add more online classes. Unfortunately there are no coops or community colleges anywhere near so online is really all we have. I think there is probably a variety or issues going on right now that it's going to take some trial and error to fix.

It seems like he has trouble getting what is in his head onto paper. He knows the answers but putting them in writing is taking him forever. He cannot type yet, but I will allow him to voice the response into a word program. We have done this successfully with IEW and longer written assignments in the past. I've never considered allowing him to do the same for shorter answer responses. He has always been verbally articulate. Thinking back his written work was fairly articulate as well or at least grade appropriate. It seems now his answers often run parallel to what is being asked but off the mark. (if that makes sense) You can also see his mind wandering on the paper. At first I thought it was a comprehension problem, but he answers the questions correctly when asked. I often say, "Well if that is the answer why did you put something else on your paper?" His response is always IDK. I don't get it. It is like his brain and his hand aren't connected.

I have a hard time accepting he takes so long because when we speak to him he knows the information. It is just getting him to do the written work. My husband and I teeter back and forth on if this is an attitude/laziness issue or something else. It is hard because we have absolutely no other issues with him. He is seriously the best behaved teenager I have ever met. It is only school where we are having problems. We have been getting slower and slower for some time now. You could very well be correct pointing out there could be a learning disability that hasn't been caught. We have only seen the psychiatrist and child psychologist regarding his ADHD.

My son is actually 14 and in 9th grade. We are finishing up BJU Physical Science. (about 3 more weeks to go) Other than the time required, he seems to enjoy it and is definitely learning a lot. He always calls me into the room to rewind the videos to show me something "cool" and LOVES to feed me information he has learned. He just seems to take his sweet time when it comes to any written work. TOG has been a wonderful program for us and worth the investment. The book selections have been a good fit overall and he will often read ahead if allowed. Because my son struggles with The questions can be difficult at times, and I appreciate that, but he is more than capable of answering them. I suppose I can cut the assignment in half and do some orally. I just feel it is a disservice to completely eliminate it. I have no problem stepping back and letting him take the lead, however he would still be required to meet our basic expectations. The above was written last night, but apparently I never hit the post button. This morning we went to the psychiatrist. I explained what was going on and my concerns. He says it could be stress and anxiety related or possibly the medication dose being too low. The dosage was actually decreased 3 months ago by our primary care doctor pending further work up by a pediatric cardiologist. We have seen the cardiologist and received an all clear for now. The psychiatrist still wants to be prudent in increasing the dose but doesn't feel the medication is related. Because my son has had multiple episodes of tachycardia and 3 bouts of chest pain, we also want to be very cautious with medication. Tomorrow we will start a slightly higher dose and see how it goes. This school issue was going on prior to the adjustment in medication so I'm not very optimistic.

He does have ADHD and is medicated for it. Because this is the only area we seem to be having issues, I never considered it as a potential cause. We are actually seeing his psychiatrist tomorrow, so I'm going to question him as well. Like I said, he isn't a bad kid at all. He is just seems to take forever to complete an assignment and he seems almost not to care it does.

My son wants nothing to do with me teaching him, but also doesn't want to attend public school. My husband and I are at our wits end with him. He is getting close to nothing accomplished. Today he completed a single lesson of science and math. THAT'S IT! We spent a total of 7.5 hours and accomplished squat. I've tried being more involved. I've tried being less involved. I've asked if he wanted to change programs, go to a public school, or get a tutor. Nothing seems to change. He wants to go to college, but how is he going to survive college? No professor is going to give him tons of extra time to complete his work. He isn't a bad kid, but his attitude towards school stinks. Has anyone else dealt with this? Any advice on what else to try? We are currently using BJU online for science. He finds it difficult, but is enjoying it at the same time. He has maintained a solid B throughout the course. All that would be fine, except he is taking 3-4 HOURS to complete a day's assignment. For math we use Saxon with the teaching DVD. He teeters between a high B and low A with this. He is good at math, but again it takes him several hours to complete. We use TOG for History, Literature, and Bible. This is his passion. He loves the reading and completes it quickly, but drags his feet and rarely completes the review questions. He definitely comprehends the readings and will go on about what he learned, but forget any written work. Now because of him dragging his feet and taking FOREVER to complete or partially complete assignments we have dropped everything else. I want him to be writing on a regular basis. And I want him to be studying a foreign language. I seriously would be over the moon if we could do this. I just don't know where I can pluck the time from. I'm about to throw the towel in on this.

I voted other. Bath until around 6 or 7. Then I would allow them to choose.

We are looking at houses currently too, and I find it really hard to part with such a large chunk of money unless I have thought it thoroughly through and am certain it's the one. The good ones seem to move really quick and the so-so ones linger on the market forever. My poor brother is having the same issues where he lives and even offering above the asking price isn't helping. I was under the impression the economy was still slow, but the housing market doesn't seem to reflect that.

Here is a link to the Church of Christ. It is non-denominational, and there are several branches with slightly varying beliefs, but this website seems to give the most information overall. http://church-of-christ.org/who.html#music

Sorry things are so stressful. My first suggestions would have been yoga and meditation, but you said you don't really have time for that. How about a warm bath and some tea, or a glass of wine. It might give you a few minutes to relax and collect your thoughts. I like to add scented bath oil. Lavender is suppose to help you relax.

I will pray that God keeps you safe throughout your journey. DS use to be frightened of flying, especially the takeoff and landing. We hold hands during these times and say a prayer asking God to take away our fears and to allow the pilot to safely get us to our destination. It definitely helps. Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I have not read other comments here. Your husband is verbally and physically abusing your son. Please stop making excuses for him. Your son probably has problems BECAUSE of your husband. I am furious right now. I would have called the police on my own husband if I found him doing this to my child. Seriously it floors me that you are blaming your child rather than the grown adult in this matter.

Thanks! We love Redwall. We have been slowly acquiring them all, but this will be our first Kindle one.

Thank you. There is so much here to chew on as I try to prepare for our upcoming year.

I didn't take your comments as anything but helpful. It really does help hearing everyone here who has already been through what I am. It is a challenge knowing when to push and when to step back. We definitely want DS to get the most out of his last school years with us no matter what the specifics.