Where does your child work?

[aelgraham]

Hi all,

 

I know this seems like a silly question, but I am wondering where your middle school students do their work. I feel like if my DS13 works at any place other than the table or desk, his work becomes sloppy and slow, and there is much distraction. Even allowing him to work on the living room sofa seems to affect his work.

 

This seems to be the stage for a lot of lazy behavior. I am trying to allow him freedom and independence but all it seems to do is reinforce a lot of bad habits.

 

Plus it just bugs to me see him working anywhere but at the table. It just doesn't seem studious. Should I just get over it? Mountain over a molehill, perhaps?

 

Thanks!

Amy

[Mom22ns]

My kids work primarily on the couch in the family room. That is where we "do school". When they are working independently, they do it in their rooms. Dd has a big chair that she uses. Ds uses the bottom bunk of the bunk beds in his room. They both get work done very efficiently in their rooms. Quiet is important to both of them and the more people in the room, the more they are distracted. Location doesn't seem to be an issue as long as they are comfy.

[Melissa B]

1. most often at the dining room table

2. dd 12 -comfy chair in the sitting room / dd 14 - on bed in the spare bedroom for reading assignments

3. computer desk in the living room if the main computer is needed

 

We have an open floor plan so I can see them in any of these locations.

[2_girls_mommy]

My dd is only 9, but I see that her work is sloppy when done on the couch. But she has very much disliked working at the table with her sis and me for many years.

 

We have compromised by actually getting her an old fashioned wooden school desk that sits in the same room as we do. She sits there for workbook work most of the time.

 

Then we have a bigger desk in an office that she prefers to go off to for "homework." That is generally math work that needs finished at the end of the day. I expect as she moves into the middle school years that we will convert that desk to completely hers. She will be able to spread out better there with her atlases, dictionaries, history encyclopedia, and school books better.

[Karen in CO]

My older dd works in different places depending on what she's doing.

 

 

• She does her math on the floor of my bedroom - it is the quietest room in the house.
  
• She does her cello in the family room - it has a chair just the right height and good light.
  
• She does her writing at the dining room table, unless she's doing it somewhere else.
  
• She does her reading wherever she happens to be but usually on the couch, in her room, at the dining room table, or in the hallway while she's flossing. :confused:
  
• She does her memory work at the table, walking around the house, or in her room while she's exercising.
  
• She usually does science at the dining room table unless the experiment is messy then she does it in the kitchen or outside.
  

 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

All written work is done at her desk in the study. She is doing an increasing amount of independent work, so I am trying to instill good work habits: tidy organized work area, systematic approach for incoming and outgoing paperwork, sitting up straight etc.

 

She usually does her assigned reading on the couch in the study.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

....

 

• She does her reading wherever she happens to be but usually on the couch, in her room, at the dining room table, or in the hallway while she's flossing. :confused:....

 

 

 

LOL

 

That sounds like my daughter. She does certain assigned reading on the couch, but other reading is everywhere.

 

Edited to add: Yesterday she had a book in one hand and was trying to wash a dish with the other. I had to practically pry the book from her hands.

[NittanyJen]

Depends on mood. DS11 is in that transition phase.... Sometimes he is feeling really social and wants to touch base a lot, so he works at the kitchen table. Other times he wants his space and goes to his room. Other times he is really absorbed and doesn't mind 'background hum' but doesn't want to be in the thick of things, so he'll curl up on the couch, in a rocker, on the stairs....

 

I do insist on neat handwriting though. I provided him with a lap desk clipboard that stores papers and pencils inside and provides a slanted surface and some elevation above lap surface, and that gets used quite a lot. Sometimes a slower pace allows them deeper absorption of whatever they are doing. Daydreaming isn't always bad.

[pie]

If it is independent work, my dd does it on her bed.

If it is a subject we are doing together that doesn't require the white board, we usually do it on my bed.

When I need to use the white board, we work in the livingroom with her on the recliner and me on the floor (white board is huge and i set it on the floor propped up against the sofa). Our home is tiny and the white board really only fits in the livingroom...but I so love using it for grammar and math.

My daughter complains bitterly when I make her write at the table. Her handwriting is so much better, but she thinks our chairs are uncomfortable...(she's right lol)

When I let her use a clipboard and she sits on her bed, she is as happy as a clam. That is a BIG deal during this preteen/menopause hormonal time in our lives. She is 12 1/2 and I am 50 1/2 ;)

[elegantlion]

Classroom desk. He does his subject readings on the couch, and his personal reading in bed before bedtime. We need a flat surface to work.

[aelgraham]

Sounds like it runs the gamut and y'all seem so chilled out about it! :)

 

I think this is just one of those things I am making too much of. It just bugs me to see him lounging on the sofa doing work-- it just doesn't seem studious somehow. But maybe I should get him one of those lap-boards and just hold him to some reasonable standards of neatness.

 

Thanks for sharing!

[HSMom2One]

It varies, but 12 yo dd usually:

 

 

• ...does her math at the dining room table with her dad (the math teacher).
  

 

 

• ...does her writing assignments, plus any lesson related discussions at the table in our school room.
  

 

 

• ...does her reading (as well as listening to read alouds) all wrapped up in her comforter lying on the day bed in the school room, on her parents' bed, or on the floor cuddled up with her dog.
  

 

 

• ...does her foreign language lessons anywhere we want to park ourselves with the laptop...even outside or in the car.
  

 

 

• ...does her science experiments and activities in the kitchen and/or dining room.
  

 

 

• ...does her art lessons in my studio.
  

 

 

• ...does her music practice in her bedroom.
  

 

We love it!!

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Shellers]

My DS11 does all his work at the kitchen table. He has ADHD and would be too distracted anywhere else. I have to have the table cleared off of any distractions or he can't concentrate.

[elegantlion]

Sounds like it runs the gamut and y'all seem so chilled out about it! :)

 

I think this is just one of those things I am making too much of. It just bugs me to see him lounging on the sofa doing work-- it just doesn't seem studious somehow. But maybe I should get him one of those lap-boards and just hold him to some reasonable standards of neatness.

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

I think reasonable standards for neatness are good. If that isn't happening, then requiring him to be at a table to write is not out of line.

 

Ds used to read under the table, sometimes hanging over an exercise ball, or while pacing through the house. I don't worry about what necessarily looks studious, but the productivity must be there to get the perks of working someplace other than a table.

[HomeScholar]

My DS (11) Varies...

 

Depending on what he is doing it could be anywhere :lol:

 

We move around between the office/school, the kitchen bar, the couch, the dining table, the porch, the patio, the park, or sometimes on a comfy bed. Most of the time we are in the office/school.

 

Astronomy is either on the patio for bookwork or laying in the yard looking up. :D

 

He likes to read his Kindle on his bed or in the car.