Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy I am a slow learner - LOL

We have heard the "nothing" answer for a couple of years now. So, I changed my strategy and now I always ask how my child's day went at school/camp/extra curriculars etc. The answer is always "good", "great" etc. Then I ask him to name 3 things that made school etc great. And we pick up from there.
Mostly, he is excited about playing at recess, playing with blocks and legos in the classroom and a book that the teacher read aloud (she selects some good books for their level from scholastic). Sometimes, he mentions that they grew some seeds in a pot or that the teacher bought in a butterfly growing kit etc. I have never heard him be excited about academics in the classroom yet.

I usually ask if anything interesting happened in school. I always get a response but it is often times a story about someone farting during circle time, someone barfing in the garbage can at recess or a detailed account of the pranks he and his classmates play on each other.

I have never heard him say he did a really interesting worksheet. Probably never will. He does speak highly of the science experiments, art projects and cooking.

I go with what did you do today, what was interesting (although that often gets a shrug and an I don't know) and I also try to remember which specials he has what day so I can say what did you do in gym, or music, etc. the worst is with science, it can actually really upset him if I ask what did you learn today, since he's likely to not learn anything there for years!!!

DeHe

I started asking "What did you work on today?" instead of asking about learning. I've realized that his IS often learning something, but the way he learns is basically via osmosis, so he has no recollection of when it happened, he just knows that he knows it now. This also helps me keep track of what they are working on in class, and sometimes helps trigger his memory on what homework/projects he's meant to be doing.

BTW, I am SO FRIGGING EXCITED to start the new school year with him going to the spec ed teacher at the end of each day. We might actually have a school year without dozens and dozens of zero's for missing work on his report card!

I have been starting the conversation with I had something interesting happen today, then I fill in the blank. It has worked a couple times.

Ditto to all of this! I also ask very specific questions about each class/subject. FWIW 2 out of 3 of my kids never really have liked to tell me about what they did during the day - its not because they had bad days etc, but mostly because the *timing* of when I ask - I tuicalloy ask right after school when I pick them up. That also just happens to be the time of day they are tired and hungry and they've just lived through the day, and as kids, in slight of being really smart kids.... I'm not sure they really grasped either that I didn't already know 100% of what their day had included and they for sure didn't understand why I care lol. So I do remind them from time to time why I care and how it helps me help me to talk about it.

Best wishes,

polarbear

Does your son go to my DD's school? That's what I get, too!

Actually, she will talk till my ears bleed, but only if I don't ask. If I ask, she "can't remember".

DS is a "nothing" kid.

I try not to ask If I do, it's usually 'Did you have a lovely day?' which she automatically answers with 'yes' Or I ask who she played with (long list of girls!) or how was her lunch ... later on she'll tell me the interesting stuff as she remembers it. I try not to ask about the academics because they're usually so lame it just makes me mad! Sigh
She has a one-day-a-week gifted pullout program and on that day we get a two-page typed sheet detailing everything they discussed, queried, thought about, watched, read, researched, designed, built, as well as ideas to take things further - it's bliss!!!

I ask my kids "What was the best thing about school today?" and sometimes follow it with "Was anything not so good?" (I am not asking was there any hard work, but were there any hard experiences and my kids know this).