I need a way to block ds8 & ds7 from seeing each other during school time.

[JudoMom]

They are both supposed to be working on their math papers. Instead they are entertaining each other with various and sundry activities :banghead:. They are being reprimanded, but it dawned on me that rather than continue to fight this battle, I should put up some sort of divider (yeah, it only took me 3 years to come up with that idea :bored:).

 

They sit at opposite ends of a kitchen table in our school room. I'm thinking I'll get one of those foam-core science display boards, unless you guys can suggest something better. I am worried that it will be too light and they'll find ways to knock it over.

 

Any suggestions for me? I'm not that great at thinking outside of the box.

[OnTheBrink]

You could check with your school district's warehouse and see if they have any old study carrels for sale. I'm thinking a foam science board would be poked at while the dc giggle at each other.

[Diana in OR]

Is there any way you could put them in seperate rooms? That is what I used to do. It was kind of a pain for me, but then my boys wouldn't distract each other and it went much better for them.

[Tami]

Am I being too simplistic to suggest that you put them in different rooms? One in the dining room and one in the kitchen? If table space is a problem, we have used clip boards.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

"They sit at opposite ends of a kitchen table in our school room. I'm thinking I'll get one of those foam-core science display boards, unless you guys can suggest something better. I am worried that it will be too light and they'll find ways to knock it over."

 

BTDT. Yep, they want to knock it over. Will wiggle table to get it to fall over..argue who's going to face which side....

 

Eventually, I WANTED TO HIDE BEHIND IT.....:angry:

 

Now, they have clipboards and they choose to sit in different rooms. My hope is that they will end up in their rooms at a desk.

 

Sorry, I can't recommend the science boards.

 

k

[momtolgd]

Different rooms helps us with that problem here also...and we have used clip boards as well. I will have them face different directions also...one at the table facing the wall and the other on the couch facing toward the window.

[Whisperlily]

Separate rooms is all that worked for us, too.

 

:grouphug:

[JudoMom]

We are confined to the basement during school. We have a playroom for the younger guys, a bathroom, and the school room.

 

If I moved one upstairs to the kitchen, that would mean the toddler & preschooler would be on the loose distracting them (and more bad things would happen--like cleaning the toilet with Mommy's toothbrush :sneaky2:).

 

I did think of that, and I think the easiest way to minimize distraction at this point is to block them from seeing each other.

[JudoMom]

Different rooms helps us with that problem here also...and we have used clip boards as well. I will have them face different directions also...one at the table facing the wall and the other on the couch facing toward the window.

 

I could have them face the wall with clipboards so they can't see each other.

 

See--you guys are a wealth of knowledge :D!

[Beth in Central TX]

Can you use two smaller tables and have them sit with their backs to each other? I used to have all 3 of our school tables snuggled together in a nice circle facing each other. Now I have them in a circle facing out. I'm hoping to go back to our cozy circle, but too much giggling keeps me from doing that.

[Tami]

[]

[Gamom3]

using cardboard or even get some really thin board(can't think of what it's called and uses hinges so it can fold like a square U if that makes sense.

[Tami]

I am brainstorming here.

 

Do you have two bookshelves in your school room? What if you put them back to back, and then set them at a right angle to the wall. This would make 2 cubicles without taking up too much space.

[KarenC]

Good luck,

 

Karen

[K&Rs Mom]

Can you use two smaller tables and have them sit with their backs to each other? I used to have all 3 of our school tables snuggled together in a nice circle facing each other. Now I have them in a circle facing out. I'm hoping to go back to our cozy circle, but too much giggling keeps me from doing that.

 

 

We've had to do something similar, though it was for meals, not school. I put two TV trays against opposite walls of the dining room, so they would be separated and facing the wall instead of sharing a table facing each other. It was a nuisance because of the extra space it occupied, but worked to solve that particular problem.

[Christy B]

They are both supposed to be working on their math papers. Instead they are entertaining each other with various and sundry activities :banghead:. They are being reprimanded, but it dawned on me that rather than continue to fight this battle, I should put up some sort of divider (yeah, it only took me 3 years to come up with that idea :bored:).

 

They sit at opposite ends of a kitchen table in our school room. I'm thinking I'll get one of those foam-core science display boards, unless you guys can suggest something better. I am worried that it will be too light and they'll find ways to knock it over.

 

Any suggestions for me? I'm not that great at thinking outside of the box.

 

If I'm reading this correctly, the table you mention is dedicated for school use, correct? (IOW, you don't have to clear it off in order to eat, etc.) When I had this problem, I placed a bookcase up on top of the table. Much sturdier than the foam board, and provided storage, too. I put posters on the back of the shelf.

 

HTH.

 

I can totally and completely and utterly relate to the distraction problem.

[Ferdie]

I got this idea from these boards and it has worked out great for us:

 

We use a tri-fold foam presentation board cut in half. I let each of my kids decorate their half. They work great and are easy to store since they fold up and are light weight.

 

We school all together at the dining table and the partitions have cut down on the unnecessary chatter and help my kids focus better.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I have our Desk Apprentice sitting right in the middle of the table. They can still see each other if they really try, but it's large enough that it blocks most of their view. And, it's functional. And, it's heavy.

[Novafan]

I have two boys as well (5.5 and 7.5) and some days they work very well at the same table, but other days, forget it! When they can't work in the same area, I always move one of them to separate, quiet area. My boys work on the floor a lot too, so I'll put one on the floor in the living room and one on the floor in the "school room."

[Mekanamom]

I have our Desk Apprentice sitting right in the middle of the table. They can still see each other if they really try, but it's large enough that it blocks most of their view. And, it's functional. And, it's heavy.

 

Oooh, I was going to suggest a desk apprentice or two as well! We love ours. They do create pretty functional barriers as well as school storage.

[abbeyej]

I saw these for <$3 each at the Schoolbox (teacher supply store) yesterday. The cheap ones were cardboard, but they had sturdier plastic/foam ones for just under $20 each.

 

I'm not *sure* they would be tall enough to keep a determined child from seeing another ;) but they might do it.

 

A simple way to do it, but taller, would be with those pre-made science fair-type display boards.

[Peela]

For a long time my kids had a desk each facing each other with a bookshelf turned on its side, on the widest desk...not sure if thats clear, but they had a bookshelf dividing their desks. One child had the back- so he could use it as a pin board- and the other had the front with the shelves in their sides- perfect for stacking school books upright.

Nowadays my older child works with earplugs in..it helps her a lot to not be distracted by her noisy, distractable brother.

The other thing is, there is absolutely no substitute for staying the in the room with them. As soon as I leave the room the younger will disturb the older. If I am i the room, he will mostly just try to disturb me:)

[Aubrey]

When I was teaching, we put empty 3 ring binders, opened, between kids during state testing. That worked well enough.

 

For the foam board idea, you could stack books on either side of it to hold it up. If there's trouble knocking it down on purpose, you could offer extra math problems as a reward.:D

 

I like the idea of ea child decorating his/her side of the board, too. You make me scared to face the coming years, though!:001_huh:

[LN in WI]

a cardboard box.

 

Or just have them open and stand a folder on either side of them.

 

Elle

[Susie in CA]

I put mine in separat rooms. That's the only way. Although, they have been much better lately than in years past.

 

Susie

[KidsHappen]

Whenever they are in the same room they aggravate the heck out of each other. Now I bring them into my office one at a time to do their school work. It takes longer this way but it is much more peaceful and productive.