Do you have a child who goes along with whatever you do, home-ed-wise, but who never fully engages?
A child who can't wait to be somewhere else - anywhere else?
A child whose most common phrases are 'Are we finished?' and 'Can I go now?'
Would your child choose to socialise all day, every day? Or perhaps would sit playing computer games endlessly?
Do they appear to retain little, if any, of what you do together, and make no apparent connections between all the different things they see or read or experience?
Do they ask you 'What are we doing tomorrow?'
and then five minutes later say 'So what was it we were doing tomorrow?'
and then ten minutes later 'So what day is tomorrow?'
and then 'Are we doing anything tomorrow?'
and then 'Can I have a sleepover (if we're not doing anything tomorrow).'
Do you spend 5 weeks on "shapes" only to find they don't even remember how many sides a triangle has, and don't actually care?
Do they tell friends that you are taking them on a boat holiday on the Nile, because somehow they've confused one of the longest rivers in the world with a local canal?
Do you give them instructions to do - or fetch - something, only to find them fishing tadpoles out the garden pond or decorating a cardboard box with marker pen. Even with several reminders, do they never quite get to the target (unless you actually follow them and prod them)?
Do they appear to have few noticeable observational skills, an absence of self-motivational urges to explore new things, no interest in anything you've organised, even if it involves a subject that you thought they were interested in.
Does self-directed learning not work because although they have the ability to poke holes in soil for an hour or generally noodle around for no apparent educational purpose, on the days when you have something urgent you need to get on with they hang limply to your ankles and declare that they are going to simply die of boredom.
Do you occasionally sneak a side-glance at them and wonder 'Are the lights on? Is there anyone at home?'
Does it frustrate the heck out of you...?
5 comments:
Yes to all of these, and yes SO bloody frustrating. No answers sadly, just sympathy and hugs x
Yes from me too...on all counts. You are not alone.
Ah well, at least it's not just me. I *was* hoping it was simply a 'phase', like the boys went through, or maybe caused by not being able to read and therefore not being able to independently access information. But alas, it seems not.
My latest theory is that it *must* be the side effects of an artistic/creative temperament and that actually instead of a limp unenthusiastic creature I appear to be witnessing, I have given birth to an art genius.The talent is still in its embryo form, of course and not visible to mere mortals such as I. At least that's the story I'm sticking to :)
Well, even though Ysabel can read very well - you might just as well have written that piece about her - so no, dont think it has anything to do with reading.
She is not particularly artistic either.
Despite spending a great deal of time and effort getting us into the Pompeii Exhibition at the British Museum - at her request - she "did" Pompeii in about 12 minutes and wanted to go out into the gift shop. After all the time and money spent - she was hauled back in and given worksheets to do - even that was too much trouble and she only had to fill in the blanks!
So no hope for either of us
Yes to many of those questions... some of it does seem to be wearing off a little though (I am very happy to say)... at least sometimes.
I wait in hope for the artist genius... but unless it is masked in computer related artist ability, I think I may be waiting a while.
Post a Comment