What to do...

[4Kiddos]

My oldest son (8) who is my gifted son especially in math has told me this past week that he hates math. I was completely surprised as this is where he excels the most and just has always not gotten enough math. We have done so much stuff that I don't have time to list it all. I have never pushed him and he has just loved every minute of math. We have been finishing up Beast 5 with some other stuff and I was planning on starts AOPS Pre-A in January. He has been really cranky in general about everything lately- not just math. Even playing outside and building things hasn't been as enjoyable to him lately. He reads books like crazy. It has been a stressful past year- we moved cross country and then had my in-laws and their children came and visited for two weeks. They are very cranky, critical people and it rubbed off on him a lot. So, maybe that is just it. I don't know. I guess I am rambling lately. What would you do- especially with math? I am feeling discouraged as I don't want him to hate it.

[maize]

Does he have any activity in his life that he enjoys? A sport or extracurricular maybe?

 

It sounds to me like you may need to switch focus for a bit from academics to mental, physical, emotional, and social health. Those underpin everything else in life, and they are easily disrupted by stressful events such as moving.

 

You could do games and puzzles for a bit for math, and put most of your energy into finding security and enjoyment again in life.

Edited October 31, 2016 by maize

[Kathleen.]

Why not take a day off and go to the park or somewhere local for fun.

[HomeAgain]

Mine went through a similar phase. We took some time off before I told him, alright, pick a new math book. He picked a grade level text, got bored a week later, and has been working through Life of Fred to just enjoy math again.

[Dmmetler]

I use holidays as an excuse to pull out cute age-grade appropriate stuff for a few days. It's easy and fun-and when the holiday is over, DD is ready to go back to something more mind stretching. I may stretch Halloween out a few more days this year (I think DD left her brain in Reno.)

[Arcadia]

I would unschool for awhile. Both my boys were cranky at 8 for a spell, now my oldest is going through another cranky spell at 11.

Some kids are unfazed by a move. My DS11 is affected by every house move we did even though all 4 moves were done when he was under 2, including an international move. My DS10 on the other hand is oblivious and just want a place to sleep.

 

My DS11 did a year of school lite and then next academic year did three times the work, so he approximately did three years work in two.

 

That's why I suggest take care of his crankiness first. Academic work is easy to catch up on. If he always like math, the interest will come back.

[daijobu]

It does sound like he's had a stressful time recently with your move and hosting relatives.  I would find that stressful.  I think he deserves a vacation.  Stay away from desk work for a while and watch educational videos and take field trips.  Give him time and a lot of choices so he can feel he has some control again.  Poor guy!  I hope he bounces back soon.  

[SarahW]

He could be stressed out, or he might just want to let his brain stew over things.

 

My kid doesn't "do" math with much linearity or constancy. It drives me crazy. But he'll pick up something, and then just mull on it for a while. I try to have resources available to him (which means me doing some prep, since math isn't my forte) but with math (especially) sometimes he needs to just stop and think for a little bit. That was very true during times we were booking it through BA. 

 

I guess you've probably given him all the fun math books to read already. Have you done math documentaries? BBC's The Code was a fun one for my kid last year. You can drop math during the day and then just all watch a documentary in the evening with snacks.