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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 6:19pm | IP Logged
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Ask me how this is my question today? Is there a hair pulling out emoticon?
My kids, once again (must be the time of year), are taking sooooo long to get through their studies. Most days they are not getting finished. It is not that they are wandering around.
I find the never-ending days to be too much- my 'school' hat is bleeding over into my entire day and I am frazzled (nice word) at the end of it.
How do you go back and find ways to help your kids be efficient studiers? Timers? You don't get to do 'whatever' till your done techniques? Anything??? 
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 6:21pm | IP Logged
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I have lately been very concerned that my son isn't concentrating very well. He is so easily distracted and doesn't even seem to care sometimes.
So I'm not giving advice, but just going to follow along any posts...because I'm at the hair-pulling stage, also.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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organiclilac
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 6:36pm | IP Logged
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Ditto. It is not just schoolwork here. My son often takes a ridiculous amount of time just to eat breakfast. 
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 7:11pm | IP Logged
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Kristie 4 wrote:
| How do you go back and find ways to help your kids be efficient studiers? Timers? You don't get to do 'whatever' till your done techniques? Anything??? |
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Although it sounds almost counter-intuitive, I drop their assignments and work WAY back. Both in reading and amount of work to be done in a day - across the board. And I mean dramatically cut back!!! Enough so that it's startling both for you and for them!
If my kids are dawdling then I usually take that as a hint that I've let the habit of industry erode, and building it back up means I need to refresh with lighter expectations and slowly build the habit of industry back up from there.
Here are a few of the things I do:
:: Drop back time spent in every single subject. Dramatically. If you're pushing a huge math cart uphill, through the snow, barefoot, every day...in order to accomplish 15, 20, 30 problems...drop back to reading the lesson, narrating, and doing 4 problems/day. Same thing goes for other lessons.
:: Replace that time usually spent arguing over work-work-work with two things: (1) more time out of doors and (2) more independent reading time. Make a big deal out of each child getting a basket and have them fill it with books from your shelves or the library.
:: Rediscover some of the original thoughts and books that illuminate my/your path - do some positive, forward focused reading. I'm usually looking for positive encouragement here, so I brutally discard anything pitiful or melancholic. Resolve not to be overwhelmed with this reading and inspiration, but rather choose two things that are doable and easy for me to accomplish and implement and will help provide some freshness in our days. Little things can be very uplifting.
:: Each week, give yourself permission to enjoy the lighter load. NO guilt. Refresh your spirit and let the kids refresh theirs. Though it's easy-peasy to complete the newer, super light work-load, encourage timely completion and insist on best work.
:: Observe lesson plans - were the lighter expectations met with ease? If so, next week, add in 5 minutes more of work/reading in each subject. Encourage the children in completing their work in a timely way.
:: Discover your child's passion. Create a basket of reading/projects/coloring books/etc. that build on that passion. Make this basket of work the last basket of the day. When lesson plans are completed and checked, the child may pursue interests from this basket.
:: Organize a game shelf. We have enjoyed keeping a game shelf fresh with fun, exciting educational games on it for several years now. Declare a couple of afternoons game-time afternoons...if work is completed.
:: Encourage industry! Provide tools needed. Organize shelves and books so that resources are easily found. Do your best to minimize distractions for children easily prone to that...and for yourself if that's a problem.
:: Every week gently stretch forward, adding back a little more of the time each student should be spending in a subject. If you meet resistance, you may have to decide if you stay at a particular time level for a couple of weeks to thoroughly encourage and solidify the habit of industry at that level before stretching forward again.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 8:28pm | IP Logged
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Those are great ideas Jen. I find it very encouraging in so many ways. With my teens I am hesitant to let it get too simple (the plans that is)... some of my frustration comes from the fact that it already seems like we get so much less done than we did with babies and toddlers under foot!
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie 4
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Oh, and the distractions for me are huge!
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Kristie in Canada
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 8:40pm | IP Logged
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Kristie 4 wrote:
| Oh, and the distractions for me are huge! |
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Me, too, Kristie. I identified this as a challenge/vice I needed to work on in my vocation some time ago and continue to spend a great deal of time, effort, prayer and focus really working on this part of my character. Though I certainly haven't mastered distractions, I have really learned some tools to deal with it and manage it for myself, and have really worked hard to cultivate self-discipline in that area. It's an area that I naturally struggle with, but I wanted to encourage you in your efforts there because it takes real work for me to give my full attention to matters at times, it's a matter of will for me (!!) - and, of course, that's exactly what I ask of my children in our learning!
So, that's always a good place to start - identifying areas you especially struggle with focus and distractions and brainstorming ways to minimize it for yourself and then setting small, reasonable goals to build the will in that area. In doing so, you're modeling a fantastic example for your kids in identifying challenges and putting tools in place to help work within your character in building focus, the same skill and habit you're trying to encourage in them.
Anyway, just wanted to encourage you! This is an area I work really hard in, too!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 07 2013 at 8:42pm | IP Logged
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Thank-you Jennifer.
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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mom2mpr
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Today we met another family at the library and had study hall. It was awesome. They all brought books and worked, talked, laughed and got a good amount of work done,
Maybe shake things up? Try something new?
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Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 08 2013 at 8:19am | IP Logged
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Oh, that sounds good Anne. My dd already loves working on the top floor of our main city library- it has tons of natural light.
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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Angi
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| Posted: Feb 08 2013 at 8:43am | IP Logged
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We have been known to take a day off if there is so much dawdling. I feel they get overwhelmed and a break is the best cure for that.
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Angel
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Angi wrote:
| We have been known to take a day off if there is so much dawdling. I feel they get overwhelmed and a break is the best cure for that. |
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I second taking a break, especially if you live in a cold climate. Remember it's February. The only way we could ever get through February was by taking a winter break. Even if you can't go anywhere you can make some fun food before Lent or maybe start some seeds so there's something *green* around or have an art day or watch movies and eat popcorn or have a reading day or something. By February, I think everybody's just tired. Tired of doing the same things for school, tired of winter -- tired. It helps to try to inject a little fun, I think.
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Angela
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JodieLyn
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Oh yes, the winter dragging on and on makes being stuck inside so dull and dreary and mind numbing, some sort of break, whether just in the routine or by getting out somehow somewhere (do that if you can at all) will make such a difference in coming back to the usual work refreshed and reenergized.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Feb 08 2013 at 6:09pm | IP Logged
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Did math
Silent reading
A bunch of science labs
Skating on the river!
Feels a lot better today...
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Efficient Students
