Dreamer child type?

[sbgrace]

I saw a recommendation on this board for a book called Strong Willed Child or a Dreamer. I'm so glad to have read it! I have an absolutely off the charts dreamer here. I can't find the thread that recommended the book.

 

If your child is (or might be) a dreamer type have you found certain homeschool methods or curriculum do well? What have you learned works? How do you help that type of child learn what they don't want to learn? Math is really difficult with this child and I'm sure it's partly because it's not his interest. The only thing he likes about math are story problems.

 

Also, I'm wondering about child "guidance" that works for a dreamer type? I'm thinking focusing on the positive is most effective? I know what doesn't work with this child and now I know why!

Edited September 6, 2011 by sbgrace

[ChristusG]

Thanks for the post! I just purchased the kindle edition and will begin reading it ASAP. Sounds like my 7 year old DD may fit the profile.

[Isabella]

 

If your child is (or might be) a dreamer type have you found certain homeschool methods or curriculum do well? What have you learned works? How do you help that type of child learn what they don't want to learn? Math is really difficult with this child and I'm sure it's partly because it's not his interest. The only thing he likes about math are story problems.

 

 

Then LIFE OF FRED might fit the bill perfectly for your child!

[Starr]

My dreamer loved the LOF story but it didn't get the math across. I've had to break math up into a couple of shorter sessions a day and sit with said dreamer. It's more of a problem in high school.

[elegantlion]

My ds and I are both wired that way, reading that book was a relief. I would also recommend the one that used to be titled, The Edison Trait. They've changed the title and I'm just waking up, so I forget it.

 

We encourage creativity and off the wall thinking in our classroom. We can do a lot of work orally, my son had handwriting issues. Grades never motivated him. We didn't keep grades from 5th to 7th. I'm only doing it now as practice for high school. I help talk him through connections, he loves patterns in everything.

 

My ds is good at math, but doesn't necessarily like it. We avoided curriculum that had 40+ problems of the same set, he wants to move on when he gets a concept. He loves LOF. This year we are using LOF with MEP for extra problems.

 

Have you looked at logic & math puzzle books. My ds loves those. We play Yahtzee to work on multiplication skills. We baked stuff while learning fractions. The more we made math applicable to real life, the more he understood it.

 

I think any curriculum can be tweaked for a "dreamer", but math is harder to do so.

[Alte Veste Academy]

If your child is (or might be) a dreamer type have you found certain homeschool methods or curriculum do well? What have you learned works? How do you help that type of child learn what they don't want to learn? Math is really difficult with this child and I'm sure it's partly because it's not his interest. The only thing he likes about math are story problems.

 

Also, I'm wondering about child "guidance" that works for a dreamer type? I'm thinking focusing on the positive is most effective? I know what doesn't work with this child and now I know why!

 

I love that book. (I actually mention it here, and link to another thread where I discussed my new way of dealing with DD's discipline issues.) It made me realize that DD and I are both dreamers (I'm half driver, she's all dreamer). My DS8 is a diplomat/dreamer and DS5 (so far) is 100% driver. I think the other book to which Paula referred might be Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos. It's good too but, for me, nothing can top the original realization that DD is very different.

 

I'm learning as I go but for dd, the #1 most important thing is that she needs to be understood. She needs you to look her in the eyes, hear all her words and recognize that you are really listening and care about her feelings. Then she can do things, even those she does not like (like clean her room, for the big example here :tongue_smilie:). Realizing she is a dreamer doesn't mean I have to cater to her every whim (not that I think that's what you are planning to do, by the way!). Sometimes that is not possible. When it is possible, I do it. For example, reading a grammar book and memorizing terms is no fun for her (while DS8 will do it readily, as he wants to please and DS5 feels he must do whatever I ask so I get out of his way :lol:). So, we do grammar in a way that she'll enjoy. Though I bought MCTLA for DS8 this year, she loves it more than he does (and that's saying a lot!). It makes language feel like a relationship. That sounds weird but whatever. :tongue_smilie: She also likes the stories of history more than the facts (both boys' preference). DD responds to beautiful materials, anything that allows for cuddling while learning, anything that involves feelings.

 

For my dreamer, everything is about relationships and aesthetics. Her relationship with learning material is something I've focused in on this school year. Memorizing math tables is something she gladly does if you give her colored pencils and have her beautifully draw her own table. She will go on and on about how she made it look like a rainbow, but she will memorize it with pleasure instead of resistance--and she is more likely to make up stories about the relationships of the numbers. Two plus 2 becomes a Mommy and Daddy bunny who have 2 baby bunnies and become a family of 4. I imagine your dd prefers story problems because there is more of a relationship to the material than straight up numeric problem solving.

 

Those are my quick thoughts and the kids' history documentary is almost over so I've got to go now. :D I will watch the thread for more insight.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Alte Veste Academy

[sbgrace]

Thank you all for the replies!

Life of Fred! He'll love that I'm sure! At least something about math will be engaging for him.

 

 

Alte Veste, it was that thread/your reply! Thank you so much because I really needed to read that book.

 

Two plus 2 becomes a Mommy and Daddy bunny who have 2 baby bunnies and become a family of 4. I imagine your dd prefers story problems because there is more of a relationship to the material than straight up numeric problem solving.

 

Yes. This is my son. I know he loves this sort of thing. He wants a story problem or he wants to make up the story himself. Everything is a story for him. I'm struggling with how to get enough practice in for mastery.

 

My son, like elangantion it sounds like, doesn't do repeat well at all. He's not a math natural though once he tunes in and clicks it's solid. Math is so hard with him.

Edited September 7, 2011 by sbgrace

[lisamarie]

Wow. Thanks for the book suggestion. I have had the hardest time with my DD who is exactly like this. She drives me crazy most days because I am so not like her. I hope this book can give me some great insight into my DD and how to parent her better because right now I feel like I am failing.