Annabel Lee Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I can't figure out what's up with him. My 7 year-old son has been so teary and moody in the last week to week and a half that he's almost got me worried. We live in an area that gets nearly 0 daylight, and lately, when we do it's coming through heavy clouds and icefog. It's been extremely cold, so cold that he can't go out and play, and extra-curriculars have been cancelled. It's easy to attribute it to not seeing peers much in quite awhile, and darkness & being stuck indoors. All of those things are easily remedied, as it's just warmed up a bit and extra-curriculars & outdoor play are resuming. I would love to think that's all it is. On the other hand, I also recently made up an official scedule for us to follow so that we could actually get done with this school year and have 3-4 weeks before starting another. So we've been really hitting the books and I've become very serious about getting done what needs to get done. No more putting off until tomorrow, because at this point we cannot do that any longer. He's also presented some 'attitude' along with his pouting, and a bit of defiance. At separate times though he's been very sad about other things, random things that seem to be pulled out of the blue. For instance he cried tonight about wanting to 'have fun with his family'. Yet everything I offered he shot down as boring, etc. He wanted to go play laser-tag (which costs big $$ here). In my head I was like "What?! Since when do you actually CRY for laser-tag?". When I told him about our Risk board game & offered him to be on Daddy's team or mine when we play, he straightened up. Lots of cuddles helped too. Yesterday his lament was that he wanted to switch to Saxon math. I had our old Saxon 2 books out, looking through them, and he saw them and asked to switch back. My thoughts: "ya, that would be way easier for you since you were doing this when you were 6". We didn't finish the books, because he complained it was too easy then, & now he wants to go back and do it. It was something I was considering anyhow (switching math, possibly Saxon or others), which is why I had them out, but the answer was ultimately "no" and he went crying and pouting to his bed for over an hour. Could it be an adjustment period to the new schedule? He's not usually like this; this is abnormal behavior for him. I remain patient and loving, while still being firm (though my heart breaks for him and I just want to make him feel better sometimes). I don't know what else to do. I'm at a loss for finding an effective tool to help him articulate what's really wrong. Also, him just sitting there pouting over things like doing flashcards is getting really old fast. I don't know what to do because I feel frustrated and don't want to take that out on him. It's making our school-days take f.o.r.e.v.e.r though. He didn't even do 2 subjects he was supposed to today b/c of it - dinner and bedtime rolled around. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Where in the artic are you? My friend lived in Wainwright AK for 15 years and has stories to tell about the Arctic. Her dh is now in Barrow AK working. Anyway, do you think it could be that your new schedule is a bit much for him? At 7, Saxon 2 would be a fine placement. Likely he is balking over the extra work, more difficult schedule, lack of sunshine (have you tried the inside "sun" lightbulbs), and cabin fever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 It does sound like he is adjusting to the longer schedule. Except for penmanship and math, almost all of your subjects can be done snuggled on the couch together, under a blanket with a favorite drink. My 7yo boy loves to snuggle still, and it really helps him get through a longer school day. Then we make time for family games or movies in the afternoons and evenings bc the weather is bad and we all have colds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Where in the artic are you? My friend lived in Wainwright AK for 15 years and has stories to tell about the Arctic. Her dh is now in Barrow AK working. Anyway, do you think it could be that your new schedule is a bit much for him? At 7, Saxon 2 would be a fine placement. Likely he is balking over the extra work, more difficult schedule, lack of sunshine (have you tried the inside "sun" lightbulbs), and cabin fever. Well I'm glad I'm not in Barrow! (No offense at all to those who like it - I'd do poorly w/ less sunlight and more cold.) I am right by Ft. WW though. Our new schedule isn't something I can really change if we actually want to make it to the next grade by the time the next grade starts, whether Saxon or Horizons for math. I do have one of those lights but it was put away during the summer and I forgot all about it (duh)! I'll get that out for tomorrow - thanks! The thing about the Saxon 2 is that he already knows all of it inside and out, except the oddball or advanced things they teach like linear, congruent, oblique, etc. He's already done with all the other concepts in it except division and adding fractions. Saxon 3 continues w/ those, which he doesn't know, so I can't really put him there... from the limited scope and sequence info I read on their site anyhow. Anyhoooo... I think you're right about the balking at all the work. I think I've been expecting him to do a pretty heavy load lately. It's no fun for anyone. :( He does have to get used to consistency, but I don't need to overload him unnecessarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 It does sound like he is adjusting to the longer schedule. Except for penmanship and math, almost all of your subjects can be done snuggled on the couch together, under a blanket with a favorite drink. My 7yo boy loves to snuggle still, and it really helps him get through a longer school day. Then we make time for family games or movies in the afternoons and evenings bc the weather is bad and we all have colds. That's just it though, we do a lot of our subjects on the couch b/c mine is still a snuggle-bunny too :001_smile:. History, Grammar, even Writing w/ Ease, practicing spelling, we do all those on the couch. I just bring the little prop-up over-the-lap desk thingie over for any writing he may have to do after readings. We play alot of family games in the evenings as well, but come to think of it, we've spent the last week trying to get vehicles running (frozen up and batteries lost charge due to cold). Hopefully as I find our way through the curriculum and method maze and find our niche (something condusive to cuddling and lots of family fun time), and it warms up, he'll come around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 My almost 7 year old has moody periods. He once burst out into tears and said a battery charger my sister gave him brought back memories. LOL. What kind of memories does a 6 year old have? He talks like an old man sometimes. I think it could very well be the lack of sunshine and the feeling of being cooped up. I need very little time out and about (I'm very introverted), but even I get wonky if I don't get out sometimes. Hopefully he'll be OK as it warms up and he gets used to me being more consistent, though like I said I don't want to overload him. Thanks for letting me vent though and for the kind words, all of you. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Oh, thank heaven. I have a 7yo boy and some days I wonder if he's NORMAL. Within the last week he has cried because: 1) On a camping trip in October he didn't swing on the downed branch, but several other kids including his 4yo brother did. Now he will NEVER get to swing on that downed branch. 2) When we went to a movie 6 months or so ago his dad gave him 50 cents for a video game. I saw him playing the game while another kid was waiting and suggested he give the other kid a turn (never dreaming he was ACTUALLY playing instead of just pantomiming the game while the demo went on). So I have ruined his life, still, six months later. 3) Math and phonics are BORING, and I *give him hints* (this means I instruct him and correct him rather than letting him do it all without any input). Our school days have been lasting 4-8 hours, when he could easily be done in 2.5 if he worked instead of dawdling or crying. Dh's solution was to get rid of our satellite TV (this was also a budget cut move), restrict video games and TV to after school hours (he can watch Sid the Science Guy or Super Why during lunch). Partly the reasoning behind this big change is that ds seemed to deteriorate over Christmas break with unfettered screen access. I am THRILLED with the new screen arrangement. Like you, I believe much of the difficulty stems from lack of sunlight and I plan to get some of those indoor Sun lightbulbs for our kitchen/school area. I've also been trying to get ds "out" more, to Cub Scouts and recently begun piano lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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