Jared-ism

Here's a note I got from Jared's teacher yesterday:

Jared "got stuck" + was unable to move forward (despite point/work reminders) Because all his spelling words had the letter R in it. He could not seem to remember that ever happening before. It really seemed to distract him. He said he would be able to do it at home even though it would cost him some points.

(Side note: Jared traditionally struggles with his spelling classwork every Monday. It is probably a Monday thing. It is hard to work on a Monday after relaxing all weekend, on the hardest thing for Jared to do - write letters, words, etc. It's a fine motor skill and OCD thing. Answering math problems seem easier for Jared, at least until they ask him to explain his answer.)

Thus life at home on a Monday:

Well, Jared came home a little after 2pm. He was still playing his gameboy that he had started on the bus ride home. I asked him to turn it off. I told him he had to finish his classwork for his afterschool free time. Then he needed a snack because he was hungry. Okay so he gets his snack time and afternoon meds, which of course, means he earned 5 minutes of freetime. Then a potty break, where Jared seems to contemplate the space between atoms. I don't know what he thinks about, but it takes a very long time, and is very important. I have re-instated the rule that there is no TV/videogames/electronic stuff until homework is done. But Jared still is easily distracted and doing a great job of avoiding his spelling classwork. I have been feeling a bit ill, and that made it harder for me to keep track of all the ways that Jared was not doing his classwork. The spelling work sheet (which I think would take someone 5 minutes to do) got done about 5 pm. Math & Reading time was done rather quickly. Dinner, and then homework spelling, which read basically - Draw an illustration of as many of your spelling words as you can. So Jared drew pictures for 4 out of 15 spelling words, and that was as many as he could draw.

All schoolwork done by 7pm. Overall that is very good for Jared. The new family schedule posted in the kitchen for all to see, and Jared's and Haley's checklists are helping a lot.

We did move TV off time back from 8pm to 7:30pm. Oh, the drama. That wasn't right! Not fair! It wasn't on the printout! It was hand written in. (Of course, we talked about doing this last week, and even last night as we were preparing for the new week and bedtime.) And lights off is not at 8:30pm because it was suppose to be 9pm. Changing the "Rules" even a little bit can be so much fun. Kelly working late, me being sick, and trying to not to distract Blake from working so hard on his homework made it hard to stay the course. I think I can do better tonight.

Well, there we go. Another typical Jared-ism day. I needed to share. I can face the dishes, laundry, etc., Haley's potty training (still), and oh yes, helping Jared do his homework tonight. I don't feel so sick anymore. Kelly is working late again, but not as late as last night, and I might be going to a Wolf Den planning meeting tonight ( not sure if the leaders agreed on tonight or thursday morning - need to email them again.)

Thanks for sharing with me.
Teresa