The losing the pencil thing is a bit more dramatic than that. It starts right away after sitting up to the kitchen table and is directly linked to the emotion.
Since starting this thread, I've determined that it's not just math! It's everything! We were always starting with math and it would take 2 hours, so that was all we were doing for about 2 -3 weeks. He seems to just not want to receive my instruction for school activities at all. Doesn't matter, hands on, kinesthetic, listening to a story, coloring, etc.
I haven't been requiring him to work independently. I'm present and interacting with him throughout the whole lesson and worksheet combo. One complicating factor is that I have other kids! ;-) I can set them up with a show for a good 30-45 min, but after that, they are back with us. Any time I try to include them or even just have them color at the table near us, he says that they are distracting him, etc. And when we've actually finished what can take up to 2 hours, we put school away for the day as everyone is pretty crazy!
I'm just nervous going into our big month to two month break when baby #4 arrives. What if after another big break it is even worse!!?
I don't feel like I've been pushing him too hard on anything. He's had a very gentle introduction to all of formal school. He's been excited and motivated and slowly, and sometime between Thanksgiving and now, he's shown a great amount of resistance to me teaching him. I'm just sad that he isn't receptive right now to being taught.
I hardly know what I'm asking anymore.... just looking for encouragement...