Discouraging dawdling

[Staceyshoe]

Please share your strategies for dealing with kids who piddle! Ds does not seem to know the meaning of the word hurry -- in any aspect of life. We're starting to dabble in hsing with the intention of hsing full time next year, but it takes him forever to do anything. Literally it can take him 2 hours to color a page in a coloring book (which is something he enjoys and is obviously not to difficult). How can I encourage him to hurry without being sloppy and without becoming a task master? I know he would LOVE to do some simple science experiments, lapbooking, and other fun activities, but there's no time because it takes him forever to do the simplest tasks. Ideas?

[prairie rose]

Looking at your siggy line, are you talking about your 4yo K'er? Personally, I would be impressed that he has the stamina to spend two hours coloring a page in a coloring book. Even if he isn't sitting straight through it, most 4-5yo would not have the attention span to stick to it that long. I don't think it's a dawdling problem you have, it's partly an age thing, the kindergarten age range doesn't really understand the concept of getting things done expeditiously. You could encourage him by telling him what's coming next. For example, "Dear, when you finish "that task", we will do "this fun thing" next."

 

I believe, as exacerbating as it can be to adults, the dawdling of very young children serves the purpose of reminding us to stop and smell the roses. ;) I think rather than encouraging him to hurry up, which he will learn to do in time, I would really appreciate his stick-to-it-iveness. :)

[Chris in VA]

I agree with Prairie Rose.

What sort of tasks do you mean by "simplest tasks?"

I'd go straight for what you want to do, bypass coloring and busywork. Do the experiment. Do the lap book (expect that to take a while with the 4yo). But mostly, have fun, relax, and realize there's no hurry.

[Haiku]

I wouldn't worry about "hurrying" a four year old to finish "school work." I think this could easily set up bad habits and negative feelings.

 

I remember, when my kids were preschool age, feeling like I would never be able to homeschool them because they were so ... so much like preschoolers! It will be much different in a year, and even more different in two or three years.

 

Don't expect your four year old to display six-year-old skills and abilities.

 

Tara

[pageta]

Perhaps you could start out with the activities you want to do, and leave the open-ended stuff like coloring for the end? Make a list of your activities and list which parts are dependent on you initiating (science experiments) and which ones are dependent on how quickly he works (coloring). The do the things you're in control of first, and do the things he's in control of at the end. For instance, we do art at the end of our school day because then they can enjoy doing it as long as they want and I'm not chomping at the bit to move on to the next thing. We start out with stories I read aloud, then we do language arts and math which requires participation but no independent work, and then we do the stuff like art which is completely independent once I get them going. I would go crazy too if I wanted to do something fun and was waiting for someone to finish like that.

[FO4UR]

:iagree:Don't place expectations on him for things expected by the average 6yo. Even though he might be bright, he's still 4yo. The concept of time elapsing is abstract.

 

That said, $7 for a kitchen timer that counts both up and down was some of the best $ I've ever spent.;) Keep use of the timer fun though...esp at his age! Make it a contest to get toys picked up, beat his last time at getting dressed in the am, etc...

 

For coloring pages you simply must put down...you can tell him he has 30min to color and the he has to "xyz", and when he is done doing "xyz" he can color as long as he wishes. When the timer beeps, it's not you telling him that time is up.

[Mrs Mungo]

I wouldn't worry about "hurrying" a four year old to finish "school work." I think this could easily set up bad habits and negative feelings.

 

I remember, when my kids were preschool age, feeling like I would never be able to homeschool them because they were so ... so much like preschoolers! It will be much different in a year, and even more different in two or three years.

 

Don't expect your four year old to display six-year-old skills and abilities.

 

Tara

 

I agree. He's four and he's already going to school during the day. I think intense afterschooling would carry a strong possibility of burning him out, no matter how smart or capable he may be.

[Haiku]

"Afterschooling" first grade to my 4 year old kindergartener

 

Oh my word! I completely missed this the first time around.

 

Let the kid play! He's in K when he's only 4? And you're trying to do first grade with him? Too much too soon! Let him play!

 

Tara

[Staceyshoe]

What sort of tasks do you mean by "simplest tasks?"

 

:lol:Pretty much everything! It takes him forever to put on his socks, color a picture, sit in his car seat, everything! I'm wired the opposite way so I suppose I will learn to "go with the flow" eventually as I figure out how to best work with him!:)

 

You bring up very good points about where he is developmentally. I like the idea of structuring tasks differently--doing our together work first and then giving him however long he wants to work on the crafty stuff.