Making excuses

[jwright]

My 7 1/2 yr. old son Jason will be starting 2nd grade in Sept. His handwriting is terrible and we've been doing Occupational Therapy class - a handwriting program each week. Part of the "homework" is to write 1 sentence each day. I usually will have him do it first thing in the morning so it is done and I don't usually allow him any privileges (tv time, etc.) until his sentence for the day is done. So, let's say he's been up for an hour or so and I tell him to get his folder and write a sentence - he says "I'm tired" or "my brain says I shouldn't do that", etc. I tell him if he's tired then he should go back to bed. Usually, it's just that he's tired of writing when he hasn't written 1 thing that day! So, it's all just excuses because he doesn't want to, doesn't like to, etc. I've also been getting the "my brain thinks I shouldn't do that . . ." about different things. Last year in school there were a few times he wouldn't do the classwork that his teacher was telling everyone to do and it was just because he didn't want to do it.

SO . . . how can we resolve this issue? Any ideas? Anyone else deal with anything like this? HELP!!!

OH and he CAN write nicely when he will take the time to do it but he doesn't want to. So he does have the ability to do it, just won't!

Janell

I think that saying is on one of the cartoons,,,maybe the sponge bob??? I get that " My brain is telling me I shouldn't read today. That is what my brain is telling me. "

Now I'm wondering where that came from...

I just tell her she needs to have a talk with her brain because my brain is telling me that her brain is about to get her in big trouble

Well....it works..

[jwright]

He doesn't watch Sponge Bob so not sure where he got it from. I tell him that he better tell his brain that MOM says he better do __________ or he will be in trouble.

Just wonder what else to do.

Janell

She's not supposed to watch it either but MIL doesn't follow my rules seeing how its HER house...hmmm I dunno where they came up with that

I have no idea but I'm hoping someone else will

[Marlo Boux]

When my son prints poorly (he writes well when he wants to)...we get him to re-do it correctly. The natural consequence being that it takes him longer to get finished his work and on to fun things because he was sloppy.

If he is being stubborn and task avoidant we don't power struggle with him. We plainly tell him that he is not acting like a big boy when he doesn't complete his homework and therefore all big boy privileges for that day are revoked - screen time, having friends over - any fun extras.

For my son it is part fine motor difficulty (which we are working on like your son too) but a big part is motivation.

Of course we praise him when he does a nice job the first time around.

Marlo