I'd like some advice about my 6yo son. He finishes his schoolwork in nothing flat every day, and then he's bored while his older sisters and I are occupied with school. I'd like to increase the requirements on him for school, because I think he's spending too little time even for a first grader, but I'm not sure how I should do it.

Here's what he does in a week:
*History and literature reading. We do much of this together, and some he does on his own.
*Math. He's doing Singapore, and I require him to do 2-3 pages a day in his books, which are the normal workbook and a more challenging one. He sits down and finishes a week's worth of math (sometimes two weeks) in one sitting, then does no more.
*Geography. He does this with his sisters once a week.
*Spelling and writing. We're using SWR, and I give a daily written phonogram quiz as well as spelling dictation. This is mainly for cursive practice and only secondarily for phonics and spelling, since he tests at a high 5th grade level for spelling.
*Writing. We're following the TOG Level 1 suggestions. He does fine with this.
*Memory box, as I explained in the Mom to Mom forum recently.
*Science. He's working through a science book, a page or so a day.

So, his main work in a day is memory box (2-4 minutes), a page of science, math (which he finished three days ago), a little reading (10 minutes, maybe), and his spelling work with me. Then he's bored.

My time, however, is totally filled. I'm having trouble accomplishing everything that I need to do in a day, so I can't add anything that requires my supervision.

Other things that complicate this for me:

*He doesn't like arts and crafts.
*Although he's a strong reader, he doesn't yet choose to read for pleasure very often.
*I've thought of increasing his math assignments, but the pace he's at will already take him into fourth grade math by the end of the year, even working only one day a week or less. I don't want to give him math busywork, because he loves math and I don't want to kill that.
*I hate to increase the pace of the science, because he's working in a grade 3 science book and I'm afraid we'll just move him too soon into a level he can't handle. Besides, although he likes the science, he has a hard time with the amount of writing expected of him there.
*I've been trying to work Spanish into his schedule, but I've had to give it up for lack of time. I haven't found any curricula that I'm crazy about, anyway, although he does okay with language software.

He adores Peanuts cartoons, and will spend hours reading them to us. Other than that, he likes his computer time, and that's about the only way he can think of to amuse himself alone. Since I only allow him an hour of computer time a day, he ends up bored for a long time. I'd love to say that I'll just let him be a kid - but with no other kids to play with, and no other interests to pursue, that doesn't work very well.

I'm actually considering seeking out a Latin curriculum for him or something, because it's driving all of us crazy to have him finish so quickly. Yet I don't want to load him down with unreasonable expectations, or make him hyper academic, or anything. I guess I can add some Spanish-language software time into his day, which might help. I could also add in some reading assignments for him on non-Tapestry books; he's discovered the Thornton Burgess animal stories and likes those, but somehow never gets around to reading them.

I know this is a nice problem to have. Of my three, he's by far the easiest to teach, because he learns everything quickly and also cooperates nicely with instructions. Yet I'm still wondering what is the best thing to do. Maybe I've answered my own question with my thoughts in the previous paragraph. Yet I'd still like to know: does anyone have advice for me?

Hi, Beth,
Your problem IS a nice one to have! From my experience, it sounds like his work load is plenty sufficient, and I would hesitate to add more "school".

I have also been there, as my son didn't always understand why his sisters still had school work when he was all done. My suggestions might not work, but I'll put it out there--you said he likes Peanuts--would he be occupied by trying to draw his own comics? He could incorporate what he is doing in school in what he draws. I might also suggest some books on tape or CD, so that he can be hearing a story without it requiring your attention. Lastly, I'm not home at the moment so don't have the name of this program, but last week in the mail we got a sample of some Bible cards which focused on (in this case) Noah's ark and contained some written puzzles, some picture puzzles (cards that have pictures on them and go together to form a big puzzle) and a few other things. This has occupied my son this week. and he is reinforcing a Bible story at the same time.

It sounds like you are doing a great job!

No drawing, unfortunately. Books on tape he does love - he'll listen to them again and again. That's a good idea, as long as I can get them from the library. I'll look into that.

He does like puzzles, though he rarely actually does them.

I think I am going to require that he read a chapter in his own chosen book every day. I think he will appreciate, in the end, reading the book. Certainly when I required it this morning (long story why), his comment once he'd done was, "Well, I finished it! The next one is called XXX! We should request it from the library!" So I will be adding to, not detracting from, his enjoyment of books.

I'll look forward to other ideas....

Can you add the Singapore Intensive Practice workbook along with his regular math? It was good for my boys to do that. I would also let him go in math--he will hit a ceiling at some point, then you can broaden until he is ready to move on. Both of mine sped through 2A and 2B and then needed to deepen before moving on. You can have him do Miquon or something else to give him a different way of doing math- more manipulative and exploratory. Also, the computer "games" that singapore sells are great.

I started my boys on Singapore science in 1st grade, starting with the 3A books. They have worksheets and experiments they can do THEMSELVES (measuring water, weighing, looking at plants). They really enjoy reading the colorful, short chapters and doing the experiments. Their earlybird science is not worth buying.

I would encourage him to play when he is done. Does he have a train or puzzles or blocks or geomags or other boy things that he can go and do and pretend with?

Last year my 1st grader was finished with school in less than 3 hours- including history, etc, on a long day, if that helps give you a benchmark.

HTH.

Elizard,

I wrote a long response but lost it. The short of it is, your taste in curriculum runs very similar to mine. You've largely described his curriculum already.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find many activities that he enjoys, although I'll keep trying. But 3 hours sounds great - it's a rare day that he spends that long.

The other thing I could require is piano practice - he enjoys that. Hmmmmm. Maybe I'll ask his opinion about all this.

With his comprehension level, I am certain he could do well with Prima Latina if you decide to add Latin. My 5th grader easily completed it last year with the DVDs, though we haven't added it yet for the 2nd grader.

I wrote mostly because I have seen other moms talking about a Latin program that includes a mouse and maybe even comic strips (?). Perhaps that would capture his attention and allow you to move further in science with a stronger grasp of the language of science? I want to say it is called Minimus - anyone know?

Enjoy the journey,
wendy

Just wanted to post an update here. This is what we've come to here.

First, his interest in reading on his own has now increased. For a few days, I required him to read at least a chapter a day in his own chosen book. After less than a week of that, he started reading so much that I dropped this assignment. He was doing more than that on his own most days.

Second, for various reasons I had to pull his screen time from him completely for a week. He has been obsessed with screen time for years, living almost entirely for that. I restricted him to an hour a day, but he structured his whole life around that hour.

Last week when he was forbidden to do screen time, I went through the house with him and pointed out all the fun things he could be doing with his time. For the first time, he's actually trying things. I went upstairs the other day and found that he'd built forts out of Lincoln Logs. He's been getting out puzzles and doing them, and he's been exploring a number of things in our activity closet that I could never get him interested in before. Somehow, something has clicked for him now, and although he still loves his screen time, he's beginning to learn that there are other activities also worthy of his interest.

So all in all, I'm no longer so worried about him. He may get finished with school quickly, but he's learning to fill his extra time with fun of his own making. I'm very pleased!

This is excellent! Gives me hope because I have a 6 year-old boy who is *very* similar (except not nearly so independent). He detests crafts, and lived for computer time - until our family computer broke, and since then we've seen a huge increase in positive everything - attitude, work ethic, and so on.

I've found "kits" fill those empty hours wonderfully. Complicated Lego sets, building kits of whatever sort (make your own battery-operated insect, etc.). I keep these on hand for those days when the two little ones fill my time.

I would add would be to consider each subject he is doing. Mark an X on stuff he is really confident doing. Then he is only working on stuff he needs to do to improve. He can work on a similar amount of stuff or for a certain amount of time but have work that is more appropriate to his needs. This has helped my gifted child immensely! It is okay if they get ahead. They often also have times of needed "vacations/slow downs" in a subject.

It does sound like the no screen time rule even if "short term" was good for him. Gifted students often get too focused on one activity that stimulates them and have to be reminded there are other things in the world!

How are his social skills? (Gifted kids sometimes struggle is why I ask.) You might find a special social opportunity for him. Maybe a friend who can come to your house once every other week for the afternoon and then your son could come to his house every other week.

This has done wonders at our home! My child is almost NO work when her friend is over because they are busy together. Her friend has encouraged her to try new things and both her mom and I have been able to concentrate on other children better both weeks! (If your son or his friend are overly mischievous this may not work, though.)

Hope the ideas add some more "help" to the arsenal of good ideas you are already using!

Shawna