Help with my 4th grader!!!?

Question

Does anyone else have a problem with their child getting their homework done? Last night my son was up until 9:00pm doing homework. It is not that he is not capable of doing it. He is more than capable. Every year this is a problem with him. He doesn't get his work done in class so he ends up bringing it home to finish on top of the homework he has. Every year I talk to his teachers they tell me he is more than capable and knows the material. He daydreams a lot! I have tried everything from punishments to rewards to motivate him to get his work done. One thing I don't understand is how one night he can know his spelling words and then the next night he doesn't know them! Does anyone else have children like this and do you have any solutions/suggestions? Thanks for you help.

As soon as we get home he has to start on his homework. There is no playtime or TV or anything until his homework is finished and most always it is 9:00pm when he gets it done. He does have a vision problem that I found out about last year and he is getting vision therapy for that and he has special glasses that he has to wear. I don't blame all of this on his vision. Like I said, he is a daydreamer and has a very active and vivid imagination. He is a very creative child. I just don't know what else to do.

hlboin_2005 you described my son to a T. He does well on tests. He just doesn't see the need to do his homework.

Answer 1

Try setting a timer for 15 minutes and have him focus for those 15 minutes then he can take a little break. The length of time for the break can be up to you depending on what time it is and how much he has to do. If he knows that he can take scheduled breaks he may be able to concentrate better.

Answer 2

All the suggestions are good ones, but I wanted to add since your son is doing well on tests and really knows the material, he might just not be sufficiently challenged. Gifted kids can easily get desperately bored with assignments that are too easy. If that seems to be the case, ask the teacher if your son might be more inspired doing more challenging work.

Also, if your son is coming home from school, starting homework right away, and not finishing until 9 pm, then he's certainly short on exercise and play, which may be adding to his inability to concentrate (and not helping his long-term health, either). Consider giving him an hour to run around before sitting him down to work. Even adults would find it hard to concentrate for a 12-hour-plus day without a break!

Answer 3

First, he needs a break after school. School is hard, kids are under pressure all the time! Give him half an hour when he gets home to have a snack and play, preferably outside. The daydreaming sounds like he needs his work broken into small segments. Give him 15 minutes worth to do, let him get up and stretch, then go back. Stay in the room with him but don't look over his shoulder. Remember that it is possible to be ADD without the Hyperactivity and if this doesn't improve you might want to have him tested.

Answer 4

I had the same problem but worst. My son is in the 3rd grade and ever since school started for him he won't be force at all. He didn't want to participate in groups, and more. When they had do assignments he would just tap his pencil or stare out of space. First, the teacher thought he was not comprehending then the thought he might have ADHD and then they had him to an EIP test to see if he had learning disability. Come to find out my son had none of those. I did find out what was bothering him his vision. My son had what they call a lazy eye. In Jan. he had surgery on it. He was out of school for two day with this surgery. My son eye was losing vision. The doctor was able to correct. Since then he was more focus on his work and getting it done. Sometimes kids can't tell you what is wrong with when they don't know they can only show by sometimes acting out. I suggest you get second opinion or get another Ophthalmologist that specializes with children or only work with children. Good luck with your son.

Answer 5

My son is will be starting 4th grade next week. ever since kindergarten ive always had the same complaint on his progress/grade cards. He is slow at his work..day dreams alot. But when he takes tests always ace's them. He just gets bored. Its getting better now that he doesnt have to do to much coloring. he has always hated that. But when it comes to homework i always make both of mine come home from school get a snack and sit at the bar and do it right then. Ive done this since the first homework assignment. That way its over with. If he wants to piddle around it only hurts him. he cant go outside with his friends or watch tv. whatever he wants to do. and then were not up til 10 each night cutting into bed/bath time.

Another thing we tried last year was...he hates to do writing paragraphs and was always staying inside for recess trying to finish that work. We told him apparently you need more practice at getting faster so everyday that he had to do this he got to come home (after homework) and write a full detailed paragraph on the topic i picked. Slowly but surely he got tired of doing this and got his work done a lil faster through the day.

Answer 6

First, give him a break when he comes home from school. If he has a hard time completing work in school, he certainly needs some time to regroup. Next, evaluate if he is getting too much work at school. A 10 year old shouldn't be doing ANYTHING from after breakfast until 9pm at night. How awful for him! Next, try having him work for 15 minute intervals with short, accomplishable goals. Last but not least, consult your doctor about this. It may be something that requires a professional recommendation.

Answer 7

My suggestion being that I too have a fourth grade son, is to sit down with him and assist him in completeing his homework. Please note that I am not telling you to do it for him, just sit with him and watch him do it. Discuss thing she is having questions with and allow him to ask questions. This is a good strategy to helping him. Once you can see him starting to daydream try to refocus his attention to his homework. Memory retention is a very individual issue and I make my son either verbally give he answers or give him practice test each night. That way if he can spell them verbally outloud then you can make sure he has no problem spelling them from memory silently and in written form for the test. It sounds like he is capable of doing his work and that with some direction on your part he will be just fine.

Answer 8

My 4th grader does the same thing. I finally put a time limit on her (she has until dinner time; which is around 6:30pm, this gives her 3 hrs), and told her I wouldn't sign her nightly report. If that isn't signed then she doesn't get a good report for the week. She HATES to get in trouble especially at school, so this curbed her pretty fast. And yes it amazes me how she can know her spelling one day and not the next. I think she does it to get under my skin.

Answer 9

My little brother is like your child... He daydreams a lot and prefers playing more than anything else. I think the best thing is to sit with your child and help him with the homeworks... And explain the stuff to him until it becomes a habit. You need to make sure he completes his homerwork and follow his agenda. I think that is the best you can do. I did this with my brother and it helped a lot.. Good luck! :-)

Answer 10

My little ones don't get homework done quickly but I just keep on them and when they are finished praise them and remind them that next time if they are done faster then they would have more fun time. Good Luck