Wondermom,
It seems that you have been spying on our homelife - Wow this sounds so familiar! All it takes is that last try with the notebook to find the one that works. I also insist on a daily homework check in subject where grades are slipping, and last year I insisted on emailing the homework to the Teachers the night before, and then havinging him hand the printout in. This worked so well that the teachers discouraged me from continuing to insist on this, and there has been some slippage, but mostly not. I figure these are the years to allow 'some' learning the hard way.
Incentives are key, medication check is key - we don't use ADHD meds, but I got into this trouble with Tylenol dosage! Staying on top of vision and hearing checks, and dental check ups just to rule out the obvious distractions.
Last night we had a high point and a low point.
Low: Found out that DS11 didn't actually have the 4 page homework handout for this week although I sure thought he said he did. (My DS will lie when cornered about homework - Ostridge with head in sand.)
High: He had to write a paragraph on how a quote relates to his personal life. He finds this particularly challenging as he never gets any ideas, and he often isn't willing to PTG (play the game) enought to use the teacher's suggestion. He isn't being graded on the idea, just the execution - right? But last night I asked him if he was willing to PTG and he said yes. I asked if I could give him an idea, he said yes, and he typed up the paragraph in under 5 minutes. In times past he would have railed against using an idea that he hadn't come up with himself, be mad at me for 'taking the good idea' and basically it would have been a 2 hour process of tantrum to get the 5 minutes of work.
So - have faith, they do mature, just not quite fast enough.
Smiles,
Grinity
