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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

How can i help DS1 (10) with his homework?

15 replies

tortoise · 12/11/2007 18:15

He either isn't interested in doing it or he really can't think of anything!
All he has to do is make up a new friend and write down what he is like.

So far he has written 'I have a new friend called Ollie'. Which is almost eactly the example i gave him to help him start.

Now to me, this is pretty simple but he says he just can't think of anything to write.
I don't want to tell him what to write so how do i get him thinking of ideas without him just copying what is said?

HELP ME!

OP posts:

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belgo · 12/11/2007 18:20

Ask him what he likes about the friends that he does have

OrmIrian · 12/11/2007 18:22

Grasp your head in your hands and bang it gently but firmly and repeatedly on the table - you will be anyway by the end of the evening so you're just getting it out of the way.

What he wants you to do is to tell him exactly what to write, preferably to write it yourself. Which you can't do. So either leave him to it (I mean out of the room with earplugs) or follow my earlier instructions.

Did that help? It's a subject that is very close to home atm. Can you tell?

Whizzz · 12/11/2007 18:24

try & get him to tell you about the new friend. Discuss the ideas with him (lots of praise !) either him or you could maybe make a few notes (use a mind map) - then use the notes to help him to write down what he's told you.
It may be just because he doesn't know where to start

WanderingTrolley · 12/11/2007 18:24

What does Ollie look like?
What music/games/sports does he like?
What does Ollie like about your ds?

Will Ollie respond to bribery?!

tortoise · 12/11/2007 18:25

Lol Orm! That is exactly what he wants!

Belgo- His answer was I don't know.

OP posts:

Whizzz · 12/11/2007 18:26

If he is really stuck - suggest s few bad traits (ie 'would you like a friend who was mean and nasty to you?') so he shoudl then focus on 'no I'd like a friend who was nice to me' ??

Blandmum · 12/11/2007 18:28

Ormiran, I {heart} you and want to have your babies!

DD is just like this.

they want you to do their work for them.

Don't.

Support the teacher when the teacher gives them a bollocking

With time I hope this madness will end......

WanderingTrolley · 12/11/2007 18:33

"I think Ollie likes pink things like fairies, and he cries when he sneezes, and he likes ballet dancing, and he plays with dolls, and he's scared of worms etc....Why don't you write that down?"

Appeal to his inner stereotype.

tortoise · 12/11/2007 18:33

Thanks i will try those ideas. Failing that head and table will be connecting!

I did tell him that he will be the one in trouble if its not done.

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charliecat · 12/11/2007 18:36

I farking HATE trying to get dd1 to do homework. Its just as you describe. Drives me INSANE.

Whizzz · 12/11/2007 18:41

The trick is trying to get to think for themselves - so resort to saying really daft things so that they then should reply with something vaguely more sensible (in theory)! If they don't know where to begin, mind maps/spider diagrams/spray charts - whatever you want to call them, are a good idea to help them get their thoughts down somewhere & then they can use that to put them in order

tortoise · 12/11/2007 18:48

Doing a bit better now.

If its spelling practice/maths i can (generally) help but he hates writing. Wants to do all on comuter but i want him to practice his writing! And like others have said, wants it done for him so he doesn't have to think!

OP posts:

pointydog · 12/11/2007 19:06

has he not already done this at school? In which case, he should know what he's doing.

If not, say, right, think of
three interesting things about how Ollie looks
one interesting things about how he talks
one interesting thing about how he walks
one very special talent (as bizarre as you like)

and then pad it out to make a para. Leve him to it

tortoise · 12/11/2007 19:44

He did something simular recently but it was design a new car.
He has finished now and done well even though it took a while!

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OrmIrian · 13/11/2007 07:59

I had to 'help' DS#1 write a project on ghosts last year. In the end I think I sat next to him over every single word. It was agony. Willing him to write things.... Dealing with his whingeing and complaining. I will readily confess that I did some of it for him....making sure he was sitting next to me so at least it was keeping him off his bike and away from the ps2!

And any teacher who didn't realise that all these wonderfully presented and worded projects were not, in some way, the work of eager parents, is really more credulous than any grown adult deserves to be.

Sooo ...I've now learnt my lesson which is why I advise anyone to keep away while the hw process is going on. And I've got another 14 yrs of this

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