Remember That Once Will Not Do It

I talked about how Sam and I had a time of it with reading homework the night before. Well, the problems weren't completely solved in one go around, because I had another time of it last night.

I didn't expect that there would never be any more butting heads, but it is frustrating as a parent when you feel like you are fighting the same battles every day getting them to read, right?

We needed to finish the last few chapters in the Arthur book, and then we needed to create five index cards with information - Characters, Setting, Beginning, Middle, and End. Each of these cards would have the writing on one side, an illustration on the other. They will be finally hung from a hanger to create a moblile of sorts.

Sam was funny. As soon as we sat down, it was, "Mom, can you read a page, I read a page?" Rather than starting out that way, I said, "Hey, you did such a great job yesterday reading so clearly, why don't you start out and see how far we get?"

He gave me a face, but started reading. About 10 minutes in, he asked me to read. I read a page, and then a funny thing happened...he read his page, but got so into the story that he forgot to give me my turn -- he read until the end.

And what did I do? I smiled and listened.

When he had finished, I pointed out to him that he forgot. He laughed. I went on to praise him for how he got it done.

Remember...the battle may be the same, or feel the same, but it isn't. It will become shorter bursts of resistance. The intensity will decrease in their tantrums...Don't give up.

Sam did it. So can your child.