I am so FRUSTRATED!!!!!

[Renee in NC]

Did you all hear me scream from here?:001_huh::lol:

 

So, as most of you know, I have a 13yo, 9yo, and 10yo with various issues.

 

The 13yo is on a 5th grade level and could probably catch up, but he has no motivation. He always wants to do the bare minimum, as little as possible, etc. And, being 13, he wants to argue over everything!!!!!! If he gets something wrong, he argues that the book must be wrong. His attitude gets in the way of his learning.

 

The 9yo wants to do well, but everything is SO hard for him. He is on a 1st grade level and it is still a struggle. He can sound out some short vowel words and he knows a few words by sight, which is a huge improvement over last year.

 

The 10yo needs way more than he is getting. What I picked for him at the beginning of the year is no longer appropriate. (BTW, the Strattera is working, so he is back to himself.) He needs to be in grade-level materials with accomodtions for his reading level, but that it difficult because I am dealing with the other two.

 

Then - my 5yo.:confused: She can't write her name (no matter how much she practices), can't learn to recognize numbers (but can count to 20), and letter names/sounds are like a foreign language (and she has watched LeapFrog Letter Factory 4 million times.) She has no problem with colors, never stuttered, or any of the other things that my dyslexic ones struggled with. A big part of the problem is her inability to pay attention for more than about 30 seconds. EVERYTHING is distracting to her.

 

My 7yo could do so much more, but I run out of time.

 

I am just so frustrated today! How am I supposed to teach them?

[QuirkyKapers]

Does your 5 year old have to start schooling this year? I mean legally? If not, I would focus on more things she wants to learn....However, if you are already focusing on that than maybe try setting a timer? Do you already do small increments of time with her? I would focus less on her and more on 7 yo. I know at that age my daughter had no interst therefore she didn't retain anything. Also, it seemed like after waiting a year, she was more interested and it came quickly.:grouphug::grouphug:

[pdalley]

:grouphug:

 

My 12 and a half sounds like your 13. The other day I threatened to change his name to 'I didn't/am not doing anything!' The child would argue with a stop sign and slap it for not responding. He's on grade level except for math but he's got auditory processing so it's tricky.

 

15 is dyslexic, has auditory processing and absolutely zero executive function. He's slow as molasses running uphill in Jan. He tries so hard once he gets going.

 

9 is almost impossible to engage unless he is interested in the topic. Otherwise he breezes through and I worry if he's gotten it all.

 

Not that this is much help. I just wanted you to know you aren't alone.

[Renee in NC]

Does your 5 year old have to start schooling this year? I mean legally? If not, I would focus on more things she wants to learn....However, if you are already focusing on that than maybe try setting a timer? Do you already do small increments of time with her? I would focus less on her and more on 7 yo. I know at that age my daughter had no interst therefore she didn't retain anything. Also, it seemed like after waiting a year, she was more interested and it came quickly.:grouphug::grouphug:

 

Legally she doesn't, but she may go to ps next year, which means she has to be reading and writing.

 

My 7yo is above grade level, so she needs more enrichment.

 

It's lunch now and we get back to work at 1:00. I am DREADING it. I feel like I should've just left them in school, but since we live where we do it just isn't an option.:glare:

[PeterPan]

My 12 yo expert is pretty similar,and the only thing making our peace this year is outside accountability on some things. Any chance of that? Like it or not, sometimes they'll do things for someone else that they won't do for us. Doesn't even have to be an expensive someone, just a someone.

 

Also, is there anything WAY out of the box that would work? Like what happens if you pay your oldest to do something you need help with for your youngest? And should the youngest be on meds as well?

 

Option three, we're doing a lot of Christmas ornaments and christmas crafts. These SN kids tend to have hands-on stuff they're uber-good with to compensate for their lack of prowess in the academic world. Maybe some of that, *sneaking in* a bit of handwriting, letter writing, typing, etc. would work.

 

Option four, because I can't remember. Have you had these kids' vision checked? Sounds like you've done the CAPD testing. Undiagnosed eye problems would also come out with bad, reluctant, dragging feet behavior like that. COVD is where you find a developmental optometrist to get them tested.

 

Option five. I've finally concluded on days she doesn't want to do school work, she can CLEAN. My house can use it. But for right now the Christmas craft alternative is working out pretty well. I mean it has to suck to always be too dumb, struggling, remedial, behind. It's nice to have some time where you can call it school and have it be right on, with them being GOOD at it.

[Walking-Iris]

Did you all hear me scream from here?:001_huh::lol:

 

but he has no motivation. He always wants to do the bare minimum, as little as possible, etc. And, being 13, he wants to argue over everything!!!!!! If he gets something wrong, he argues that the book must be wrong. His attitude gets in the way of his learning.

 

This sounds like my 8 year old ds. (PDD-NOS and OCD) He is at grade level in a lot of subjects, but doesn't ever seem to want to challenge himself. No interest at all sometimes. Bare minimum. He wants to know how many pages of math/grammar etc. He interrupts read alouds and wants to know where in the book I plan to stop reading. He absolutely will not participate in most spontaneous learning opportunities.

 

This has always been hard for me because I'm a free spirit. I want to drop everything and play with the preying mantis in the yard and have wonderful spontaneous conversations. I want to keep going in a book if we're having a good time and not stop just because we got to the ocd directed decision that 5 pages was enough (and yes there are tantrums if I push it)

 

I had always wanted to homeschool while pregnant with my son, but I have had to give up the dream in my head of what homeschooling would be. It's a structured and sometimes limiting routine and a battle to expand past it.

 

I also have a 4 year old and a 16 month old that need my attention. I wish I had an answer!!

[Renee in NC]

This sounds like my 8 year old ds. (PDD-NOS and OCD) He is at grade level in a lot of subjects, but doesn't ever seem to want to challenge himself. No interest at all sometimes. Bare minimum. He wants to know how many pages of math/grammar etc. He interrupts read alouds and wants to know where in the book I plan to stop reading. He absolutely will not participate in most spontaneous learning opportunities.

 

This has always been hard for me because I'm a free spirit. I want to drop everything and play with the preying mantis in the yard and have wonderful spontaneous conversations. I want to keep going in a book if we're having a good time and not stop just because we got to the ocd directed decision that 5 pages was enough (and yes there are tantrums if I push it)

 

I had always wanted to homeschool while pregnant with my son, but I have had to give up the dream in my head of what homeschooling would be. It's a structured and sometimes limiting routine and a battle to expand past it.

 

I also have a 4 year old and a 16 month old that need my attention. I wish I had an answer!!

 

Ummm, yeah. That's him. I feel your pain!