My son is trying to drive me nuts...

Joe Hart · 07-18-2007, 09:56 AM

Conrad my 5 year old goes to Kindergarten in the fall. Refuses to count to 20. It is one of those things that they want the kids to be able to do. 1-12 just fine then it goes 14,16,18, 20. He says he thinks its boring to count to 20. I am trying to work with him about this, but he digs his heels and gets stuborn (I have no idea where he gets THAT

). So is it one of those, let him go for awhile, ride him like a birthday pony, or find something else. Suggestions would be appreciated. Any other school/childrearing nuggets would be great. I have thought about counting money...

That would be Conrad (younger) in the avatar

Elliot Royce · 07-18-2007, 12:07 PM

Well, my only expertise is having 3 children (2 boys and a daughter) but here goes:

your son obviously knows what it means to count to 20. He's counting the even numbers only. So his grasp of mathematics is probably better than a kid who simply memorizes a sequence of numbers that have no abstract meaning. If he starts giving you logarithms instead of integers, you know you have a genius on your hands.

On the other hand, I have found that the school system is in many ways designed just to get you to do what you are told. As long as you do what you are told, you pass. If you demonstrate incredible talent on one assignment and skip the next "because it's boring", you fail. Basic Training 101, but in an industrialized society learning to follow instructions is important. We don't do it naturally, that's for sure!

Derek Simonds · 07-18-2007, 01:27 PM

Best of luck with that.

The only suggestion I have is what I refer to as escalation of force.

1) make a game of it and have him only count by or odds or even
2) give him a reward (super small but something he likes) when he does it
3) start discussing the fact that sometimes we have to do things we don't want to or find boring then ask him to show you that he is a big boy and can do it
4) resort to beating the little snot until he does what you tell him

Scott Kustes · 07-18-2007, 01:33 PM

I guess smacking the back of his head is out of the question? Like:
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,16"
You: *thwack* "Try again"
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14"
You: *thwack* "Skipped a number"
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14..."
You: "Great job...see when you count right, you don't get hit in the back of the head."

Disclaimer: I have no kids. My only experience with kids was being one. The above is a prime illustration of why I'm not ready for kids.

John Seiler · 07-18-2007, 02:08 PM

I wish I could offer specific advice on your question. But for a resource that helps with some general insight. there is a FANTASTIC book out there called [i]Raising Cain; Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys[i]. It really goes a lot into why traditional education methods don't mesh with boys' desire to run around the room 500 times. There was also a number of times while reading the book where I thought, "OH! Yeah! I remember going through that." If he's a chip off the old block some of those instances might help you relate. Hope it helps!

http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Cain-P...4792726&sr=8-1

Elliot Royce · 07-18-2007, 02:51 PM

Perhaps I should have been more specific -- your kid is smart enough to know how to count to 20 in an interesting way, independent enough to tell you to get lost, and cute enough to appear as your avatar. What more do you need to know?

Know if he tries that stunt when O lifting when older, you'll need to discipline him. "20k, 40k, 60k, 80k, eee-ouch"

Paul Findley · 07-18-2007, 03:17 PM

I agree, counting to 20 is boring. Try just doing it by evens, odds, backwards, by 5, etc. We have this crazy book about a mouse that counts to 100. Spend some time with that, then he will be relieved when you only ask him to count to 20.

Better yet, don't sweat it, if it's not fun maybe you are worried/pushing to hard. We have twins who are 5. One reads really well, the other has had no interest, he is now starting to ask about which letters words start with, he was just not ready, but without us pushing him, he is progressing. Granted he was probably pissed his bro was owning him in the book reading department.

Mike ODonnell · 07-18-2007, 03:48 PM

Go watch MTV's Sweet 16 show....and you will realize how good you really have it when it comes to kids!!....and then never let him watch TV again...that's your only hope....

Ron Nelson · 07-18-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Kustes

I guess smacking the back of his head is out of the question? Like:
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,16"
You: *thwack* "Try again"
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14"
You: *thwack* "Skipped a number"
Conrad: "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14..."
You: "Great job...see when you count right, you don't get hit in the back of the head."

Disclaimer: I have no kids. My only experience with kids was being one. The above is a prime illustration of why I'm not ready for kids.

This method worked for my kids.

Oh, my son saw the back seat of a police car for the first time last night.

I told him to get used to the sight. He's 5.

. . .and he counts to 100. . . non-sequentially.

Steven Low · 07-18-2007, 05:19 PM

He obviously knows how to count to 20. I would suggest giving him something harder to do to challenge him... like some calculus, hehehehehe.

Just kidding, but you get the point. If his teacher tells him in school to do it he probably will. If he's at home and finds it boring, you can tell him to do it once and then have a different challenge to give him or something. Positive reinforcement usually works the best.