I'm going to pull my hair out if I can't figure out a way to get my son to get ready for school in the mornings. I've threatened, cajoled, bribed, "stickered", scolded, given him the responsibity, called dad at work to talk to him, and everything else I know how to do. He's been to the vice-principal's office where he was told he would have to go to court if he was late. It makes my crazy to battle with him over going to school almost every morning. The answer seems obvious, right, pull him out and homeschool? It's not that easy, that's taking him away from the social setting he needs so much. Not to mention that my husband is totally, 100% opposed to it. I'm looking at other options for school but for right now, I NEED him to get up and get ready for school.
I'm ashamed to admit it but this morning I got so frustrated with him I called his dad - he refused to talk to dad - dad suggested dumping water on him. SO I got a spray bottle of water (just water) and started spraying him with it. This went on for several minutes until we were both worn out. Don't ask me the point of it, I don't know. I told him we were leaving for school in 12 minutes and he was going with whatever clothes he had on his body - pajamas or whatever (he is also still in a pullup because he is not dry at night, no diagnosis for this just wait until he outgrows it so I really wanted him to at least take off the pullup). He finally started getting dressed but I had to keep going in and telling him how many more minutes and pushing him. It took him 12 minutes to go potty, take off his pajamas and get dressed. No breakfast, no brushing teeth, nothing other than just getting dressed. I don't know what to DO WITH HIM and I want to scream.
I read an article from SENG that says with gifted kids sometimes you need to change yourself, not the child and to remove roadblocks to avoid this kind of situation and let them "practice getting it right". But, if he has to get ready for school, he has to get ready for school. Good article, by the way (
www.sengifted.org/articles_parenting/Probst_ManagingLifeWithAChallengingChild) but HOW do you do it.
I asked him if he hated school and he said "No, I hate getting ready for school". I just don't know what to do. I know I should be polite and apologize for venting or at least say thank you but I really don't want to and I hope that doesn't offend anybody. I'm just in tears over this. It just breaks my heart.
