Into this:
It's Dr. Jekyll and Mr Aaron.
Aaron tackles his daily reading, math and language with minimal complaining. He's even worked on a book report without tears. But the handwriting practice; Oh. My. Heck.
All last year, Aaron got glowing remarks from his teachers in all areas except handwriting. It really was awful - I don't know if his fine motor skills are underdeveloped, or if it's just a lack of patience or laziness, but even for an 8 year old, his handwriting was atrocious. I didn't worry too much about it, after all, he was doing so well in every other area. And can't he just type everything for the rest of his life?
So now he's in third grade - the year of learning cursive. I thought his cursive would be pretty badly formed, but it is actually very good. He just doesn't believe me. Aaron is so determined that he can't do it, he will cry and grump and whine and take for-freaking-ever to do it. It's a miserable part of our day.
I have charts and rewards, bribes and threats, but so far, none of it matters. Aaron just doesn't want to practice his cursive, and as the past has taught us, if Aaron doesn't want to do something, it's gonna take every last parenting trick and diversion to get that something done.
Sometimes the whole family will get involved, tending to Aaron's fragile mood. I'm the ringmaster, orchestrating the event, Troy (if he's home) will offer encouragement and some occasional comic relief, and Cameron hangs out just in case the drama gets really good. It often does. Pencils have been thrown.
The latest trick I've pulled out is snapping pictures and taking video of the whole process. I don't know why, but it's helping. Aaron is working faster and with less complaining when I've got the camera pointed at him. I think he secretly enjoys the attention, and I'm just glad that things are moving along.
Check out the iron grip and ignore the dirty fingernails.
Tongue out, concentrating...
This is a clip of Aaron tackling a couple of cursive letters.
In an ongoing effort to boost Aaron's confidence and self-esteem, I assure him that his handwriting is every bit as good as Cameron's. Better even.
I pointed the camera at Cam - just to catch his reaction. There's a second or two where he's not quite sure if we are kidding or not, and it's priceless.
Hearing Aaron laugh at the end is the sweetest sound ever. Homework is done!
What homework battles do you face?
8 comments:
Ooooh, so glad someone else had a child who did not want to do cursive. My Spence is a lefty and wow was his hand writing awful. That was 3rd grade on. Now he is in the 10th grade and I can finally read it. YEAH. But, oh the tears and pain and anguish. Both my boys have had their fair share of chicken scratch. They get it from mom and dad but we both practiced, alot to get better. Age helps. However I don't think teachers should make such a big deal of it. Cursive books from the store helped and we did a little each day and on off track. With rewards....
Good luck. Homework is the worst when they don't have equal amounts and it seems one always has less. Very frustrating for the parent. Just give it time.
I showed my kids this blog and my daughter Becca says, "Aaron's cursive is really good!" My son Jake says, "His cursive is better than mine...it really is!"
Aaron keep up the great work! You are doing awesome!
Aaron, you are doing great. Your cursive is better than mine and I'm 37. You are lucky that soon you'll be able to do everything on the computer. I didn't have that when I was a teenager. Hooray for technology.
Wendy, you are doing great. Soon you'll be arm-wrestling these boys for WORD & computer time.
My 3rd grader is the ONLY one WITH good handwriting !!
Thanks everyone! I showed Aaron your comments and he's feeling pretty good.
Today he's writing e, t, w, u, i, and all the words that they can make.
Your doing awesome Aaron keep up the good work... Someone once told me that you should look at the way your write as part of yourself. No one will ever do exactly like you.. It is as unique as the freckles on your nose. It is something you should really take pride in. I actually feel if kids learn to write these days they are a step ahead and it is awesome... they are so overwhelmed with text stuff they don't see the use. OH little do they know =) I told my kids all my homework in middle school HAD to be in cursive.. and all I got for it was "OHhhhh MOM!!"
Again thumbs up Aaron..
Oh how I love this child! I love his pout, I love his personality and I really love his smiles. And I must say, his cursive is WAY better than mine. Beautiful I dare say. And this is coming from someone who is pretty particular about handwriting.
Homework is riddled with ups and downs. I think my younger three are still in the honeymoon period of the start of the schoolyear. Daniel seems to skate along effortlessly with a B average (if he put effort in, it could easily be A's!), but Holly...well, it's not that it's hard for her. The other day I heard her slamming stuff, growling, moaning and so on. I finally went to see if she needed help.
"It's Spanish!" she snarled.
"Okay," I said calmly with a lilt in my voice. "Daddy can help you when he gets home, allright?"
"It's not that I don't know how to do it," Holly said with loud irritation in her voice (read "screaming"), "I just don't want to!"
Well, at least she's honest. Her teacher further tells me the excuse Holly gives for not wanting to do Spanish is her annoyance with shows like Dora and Diego, and her dislike of her sisters trying to speak "Spanish" (their brand of gibberish).
The next day, she pleasantly announced she had decided she would do Spanish and said she was going to stay after school to get some help from her teacher. Go figure.
Hallelujah, I'm not alone! Thank you.
And Aaron loves your encouragement. Why is it so much more powerful coming from anybody other than me?
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