Project purgatory - tips on "helping" a reluctant 9 year old?

[swanriver]

My 9 year old has been given loads of creative ideas by school - artistic, factual, scientific (ie: interview an astronaut, make a shoe box model, write a travel brochure for planets)for doing a space project, so not short of ideas, or information.

It's just that he is really not that interested. Every time I try and catch his imagination, and say shall we do this, or what about this he gets more and more reluctant to write anything. He hates drawing. We have loads of interesting books on subject. He has looked at them briefly.

We need to get it done because we are going away on Monday for halfterm.

Anyone been through project purgatory and can give me some tips on handling the situation? Shall I just back off and let him do the bare minimum?

I shall be watching this with interest.

DD is the same age, and is supposed to turn in an art 'project made at home' in a week's time. My first thought when she came home with the assignment instructions was 'this is more work for me, when I don't need it'.

My solution was to rope in a very creative (and childless) Aunt. DD and her auntie are due to work on the project this afternoon.........

I am expecting to see a wide range of projects where competitive Mums/Dads did as much (if not more) work than the dc.

Having been through this type of thing with my oldest DS who's now 11, the only way is to put the ball firmly in their court. The more I tried to help and fire his imagination, the more he relied on me to do the whole thing and put his feet up! Teachers can ALWAYS tell whether the child or his/her parent had done the project and good ones will display the ones that are clearly children's work.

I don't blame your son, his heart probably sinks at the thought of the amount of time and effort it will take to knock something up. There's a match on telly and there's so many better things he has got to do. I would go for the interviewing an astronaut task. Have a look at these links and adapt the interviews. Hopefully, it shouldn't last too long

www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/6/776871/-Interview-with-an-Astronaut
library.thinkquest.org/5653/inter.htm

Look on the NASA site - there are loads of videos and photos of the moon landings. Could he do a ppt about this? Or maybe make 'A really interesting fact book' (or ppt) - how long/heavy the rocket was / how much fuel, how many km travelled/ circumference of the moon, how astronauts went to toilet / ate, etc , etc, illustrated with pics from NASA? Maybe make a fact poster as a rocket with opening 'fact flaps'? Or in the shape of the moon with hidden facts under the craters?

[weeps] YOU know it is interesting
I know it is interesting

but ...he isn't...interested - not a fact bunny

will try again...with lift the flap ideas
thanks Easter

Make a rocket? Then take pics of the launch? THAT won't involve writing, and I'm sure there are ways to do it safely!

I think you've done your best to encourage and cajole him. I would be getting strict now.

Sit him down and tell him he has to decide what he's doing his project on and produce two pages now. (Or if he wants to make something, spend 30 mins planning/designing it).

Are you going away tomorrow for the whole week? If so, take the project with you and simply insist that he does 20-30 mins each day.

I would tell him that you are going away tomorrow, and either he has to do it today, or explain to the teacher Monday week why he has not brought in his homework.

IMO a nine year old is old enough to take responsibility for homework given a reasonable amount of support (which it sounds like you have already given!).

I reckon he'll only get a rocket from the teacher once (sorry, pun unintended), whereas if you chivvy him into it this time, you'll be helping out forever.

But then I am hard-hearted

I'm feeling calmer now - he says he wants to do a planet a day, (we are going to grandma's in Eire) so we've done Jupiter, packed some simple craft stuff, handing in on Wednesday week, will assemble model in shoebox when I return, and give up on any grand ideas

Maybe if it rains enough he will get bored, aand get involved...