Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Routine tasks turn into unending rituals

I hear a version of the following from every teacher/coach/therapist that has contact with DS4 (almost 5)
"Nice kid, really smart, does not really listen".

Routine tasks (like putting on velcro shoes) turn into these never ending rituals that drag on an on until as parents we get frustrated, or we just put the shoes on ourselves, or we draw a line in the sand and announce that DD2 will go with Mommy to do The Fun Outside Thing leaving DS4 stranded inside with Daddy (unless he puts on his shoes).

This has been going on since he was a toddler (he famously once tool 40 minutes to pick out his jammies because they were all so interesting I guess).

I don't know if this is ADHD, or maybe inconsistent parenting, or maybe he is just so smart that he sees us as these inconvenient troglodytes to be toyed with for his amusement.