What do you do to keep your child focused?

She's doing fine. But it's that time of year. She starts to slip. Teacher is getting annoyed. She's just getting lazy. 80-20=100? Really ?? Oh yeah that's a minus ok it's 60 well that's nice but you got the answer wrong. Why not double check your work?

It's gotten so bad she's trying to do math work that's sideways like 120-90+30=___ actually sideways instead of reordering it laterally
120
- 90
+ 30
Why I ask? Because why not. Well because you haven't learned that yet and you haven't mastered it yet. If you were getting it right every time I'd have a hard time arguing but you aren't and you're not double checking THAT work either.

Ugh!

She's smart but lazy.

My aunt wants me to take away her fun stuff and yes I have in a lot of ways but I can't really punish her to harshly like removing girl scout camp and no I'm not cancelling our trip to Disney this year (dude, I need a vacation). Yes, I'm on her pretty hard at home since this has started. Making her write out 10s and 5s and her spelling words. She needs to read her books and no fun TV time or game time with mama.

But come on! The girl has all As and one B (89) how harsh can I be?

But still, what do you do to light that fire under their butts?

We don't bribe. I can't understand a reward program for doing what is expected. I remove fun when the expected isn't met.

Last night was just so UN-FUN for her and me honestly. But mostly we said "remember this when you feel distracted tomorrow because if you get another yellow report, it will be the same or more of no-fun".

ETA: the B isn't even in math, but math is what we are scratching our heads on lately with her. She knows her stuff, just not putting in the effort.

Message edited 3/9/2016 10:51:19 AM.

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

I'm no help, but I can say you're not alone. I swear I could have written this SAME thing about DS!

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

My son has been slacking in school the last few weeks. Forgetting books MULTIPLE times, incomplete assignments in class. I took away ALL electronics for a week the first time, the 2nd time, he wasnt allowed to go to basketball practice or his game last weekend AND he had to write a letter to his teacher apologizing for his incomplete work and talking in her class and explain how he was going to be better and the actions he would take. Those last two really seemed to work. I had to take away sports and by writing the letter to his teacher it made him accountable.

He actually got a letter home today saying how diligent he has been the last few days, getting all his work done and how proud she is of him.

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

Posted by Xelindrya

Posted by TiggerBounce

I'm no help, but I can say you're not alone. I swear I could have written this SAME thing about DS!

Crazy right?

I felt so bad I emailed the teacher to apologize for her behavior and to just let her know that we KNOW. ya know?



She responded super quick. She too is just amazed how far off she is. She's not listening, following directions and is regrouping her math wrong. Teacher says she's even unable to simply write out a math problem read to her. She hopes that maybe AJ just needs Spring Break to spring back into routine (our Spring Break is next week).

Ugh!

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

This was my sister growing up. She is smart, but super lazy. Drove my parents up the wall! She was so lazy she wouldn't even write out her entire name on her paper, just her nickname. With her, punishment never worked. She simply didn't care. School just wasn't her thing. She tended to thrive off praise. So when she did write out her full name, it was like they would whip out balloons for her (and here I was if I got a 90, they would ask me what happened to the other 10 points!).

As she got older, she learned to schmooze her teachers. Everyone loved her. She is so personable she could charm anyone. This served her well until college when the professors did not give a crap at all. She would cry and say her teachers hated her and I was like no, they just don't care about your excuses or stories or whatever. Just do your damn work! Lol. She finally graduated college but she was on an extended plan and wound up taking a semester off because she needed a break!!!

Sorry I digressed on a whole tangent about my sister. I guess it still runs me the wrong way after all these years!

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

Posted by 2BadSoSad

Posted by Xelindrya

Posted by TiggerBounce

I'm no help, but I can say you're not alone. I swear I could have written this SAME thing about DS!

Crazy right?

I felt so bad I emailed the teacher to apologize for her behavior and to just let her know that we KNOW. ya know?



She responded super quick. She too is just amazed how far off she is. She's not listening, following directions and is regrouping her math wrong. Teacher says she's even unable to simply write out a math problem read to her. She hopes that maybe AJ just needs Spring Break to spring back into routine (our Spring Break is next week).

Ugh!

See my above post. I reached out to her at first since it was OFTEN. Then she said something in class to him like "well my mom didnt XXXX" to which she replied, "your mom isnt my 3rd grader
and she was right, instead of apologizing FOR HER and me acknowledging it, I made HIM do it, hence the letter I mentioned. He needed to be accountable for his actions, not me accountable FOR HIM.

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

I have a VERY difficult time with my 7 year old. I'm also constantly telling her to double check her work. The night before a spelling test is like torture for her and me. I know she is capable of doing well but we need to put a lot of time into it.
What I've been doing is rewarding positive behavior with attention. So if we are doing hw and she is focusing and doing what she is supposed to she will get to sit on my lap (which she loves). If she starts losing focus she goes back to her own seat. Last night studying when she would get a word right she would get a high five.

I feel your pain and know how frustrating it can be!

Re: What do you do to keep your child focused?

She sounds bored.