He said that if OT might help him learn to remember how to tie (we practice it every stinkin' day, but he can never remember the sequencing of which loop goes where), he'd like to continue. Otherwise, he is ready to move on and practice his areas of need at home.
It sounds like your son has a really good attitude, and I'm really proud of your whole family for that. In the long run, I think that's a key indicator of success in life.
I wish I had so insight in how to get him the gifted services that he needs, but if the school won't provide, then it's up to the family to find a way apply that same work ethic to afterschooling. Are there programs like First Lego League or Odyssey of the Mind in your area?
As far as the shoes - I think daily practice is a great thing, but I wonder if you could 'add yeast' to the reaction by also giving him a book of 'knot tying' so he can work his way up from the easiest to the harder ones. My son got interested in knot tying, and I sure enjoyed seeing the thick white rope with the cute black tips of duct tape. I liked the contrast of color too. My son learned to tie his shoes 'rather late' and then, after he learned, he kept his shoes tied and slipped in and out of them. Which I disliked. Later in Middle School, he just left them untied and hanging about 18 inches long. It made me long for the previous version. After about a year he went back to tying his shoes. He really wondered what part of 'Of course I'm not going to trip - I'm very coordinated' I didn't understand. I got to find out that there were some parts of his life that were beyond my control.
I tried offering Cowboy boots or loafers, but DS wasn't nibbling.
Shrugs,
Grinity
