When do you give LD kids a break?

Question

With 4 weeks left of school my 6 year old is just done! He has worked EXTREAMLY hard this year to try and catch up. Educationaly he has not met 1st grade goal acording to the state so he needs to continue work. At school he is starting to talk, cut up and not do his school work (avoidance). At home he cries and whines or gets frustrated when it is time for homwork.

I think that he is just done with it all and needs a break! This summer he will be doing tutoring at a local school for LD children and some OT. So his need to work hard will not end once the school year ends.

Any advise on stradleing that fine line of too much or not too much?

Answer 1

Has he realized that all his hard work has not gotten him caught up? Maybe he decided that since he worked so hard and it didn't help he's given up. Maybe look for some smaller goals for him to achieve. Something he's struggling with but is easily attainable. He may need smaller goals to build his confidence back up. Most likely he's just feeling like his efforts were in vain. Give him small things to look forward to at home, too. We set up a sticker chart for my son who is immature for his age. His reward is something he's wanted a long time and is kind of expensive so he has to get 50 stickers to get it. There's no time limit. He has to do things that are challenging to him, like dress himself, leave without his blankie, and clean his room by himself. He gets the instant reward of a sticker and eventually he'll see the big reward for all his hard work. He has small goals to get the sticker and large goals for the end prize. Maybe your son needs to build his confidence through some physical activities too. Swimming lessons or karate could help and his confidence should spill into his school work. Make sure the school hasn't given up on him either. Make sure he's being rewarded for the hard work he's put in so far and not just let down for it not being enough. And remind him that The summer programs are just like an extension so he can have more time to get caught up. So at the end of the year when he sees everyone else leave and he feels like he ran out of time he knows there's still a chance in his summer programs. Staying at home may be nice at first but he'll loose some of what he's learned and it will compound the problem next year. Lot's of kids go to summer school programs to keep them busy. Otherwise it just gets boring at home all the time. And find some time off from his summer school to reward him for sticking in there. Plan a family trip and ask if he can work really hard so that you can take time off for it so he can have a day or two of fun. Even a waterpark, or zoo trip. Let him know if he works hard than you can take a day off of school to go do this, and preferably plan it on a day the school already has off, like memorial day or 4th of july. It will be a reward he can see in site, and hopefully give him a little boost to stick it out a little longer.

Answer 2

let him take the rest of the year off just to breath ..I mean its not like it will be for all summer ... he will b starting up work again soon... and if he is frustrated and acting out in school it probably means that he is having too much trouble doing the things they are asking of him so he is doing it to avoid the work (not because he doesnt want to0 he just doesnt want to feel like he is not smart enough to do it ... my daughter has some of the same issues ,,and if it was her I would just let her relax for the next 2 weeks or so and enjoy a little (her) time and then start again when the tutor comes along..

My daughter is 11 years old and I have learned that if you try to force the issue it is gonna take away a little more of their self-confidence each time and thats not good..let them know that even sometimes you need to take a breask and walk away from things that seem too hard and when you come back you have a clear mind and its a little easier to try again.