I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
Post Reply
Kirsten
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:05 pm

I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Kirsten » Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:35 pm

Please help!!!!! I am so frustrated with my DD. She is 8 and in 2nd grade Singapore Math. I went through S.M. with my older DS and he's in 5th grade now and never a problem. My DD however is just NOT getting anything. I think she is being lazy most of the time, but now I wonder if there is something else going on. She gets concepts fine one day and completely knows absolutely nothing the next. I have lost my patience with her more than once and feel so awful about it. :oops: And it's not just one subject - it's all of it - adding or subtracting, money, time - somedays it's clear as a bell and days like today it's like I never taught her anything. I have let her dad teach her just to see if it's me and he encounters the same thing. We both feel like she is not trying. But how do you know if there is a learning problem? She is reading OK - finishing the emerging readers, and can narrate fine. :shock:
Anyone, please help!

Thank you ahead of time,
Kirsten
-Kirsten
Creation to Christ 2012-2013
Aaron 11/2000
Heidi 1/2003

raceNzanesmom
Posts: 502
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:06 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by raceNzanesmom » Thu Apr 21, 2011 1:14 pm

I'm dealing with similar in reading. No advice, just hugs and prayers.
~Angie
Helpmeet to James for twenty six years
Mom to Race, 23- homeschool grad and Zane, 12- RTR

jenntracy
Posts: 428
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 11:18 am
Location: Florida

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by jenntracy » Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:09 pm

i deal woth the same thing with 6yr old daughter. he beats to a different drum. my husband has noticed it when i was teaching her and affirmed that i wasn't crazy and i wasn't missing something. she has gets lazy and doesn't listen. she wants to rush off to do something else and then guesses which takes longer. and then she and i are both fustrated.
trying to instil in her that she cannot guess and she needs to pay attention. there are times when i definately have to seperate her from whatever else is going on b/c she can also get distracted easily. some subjects she is fine with. Math especially and sometimes storytime and reading are the two areas we most have trouble with.
You are not alone.

Jenn D.
Mom to 4 Blessings
DS 14.5 yrs World Geography
DD 13 yrs MTMM
DD 10 yrs CTC
DS 7 yrs Bigger

holyhart
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:16 pm
Location: ~New Hampshire
Contact:

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by holyhart » Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:20 pm

I don't know what the right solution is. I do know that for my dd in Bigger this year with Singapore, we were in tears and frustration everyday. It became dreadful for her and a meek and quiet spirit robber for me :oops: . After some prayer and discussion with my hubby, we decided to try a different math curriculum. Since switching we have not had even one day of tears (we switched the end of November). For us, I truly believe it was the right choice. That being said, when I wasn't in the "emotion" of the situation, I feel certain, it wasn't her being lazy. If it had been laziness, no curriculum in the world would have changed that. Perhaps it was even mind over matter in the switching, but it really did wonders for my dd. She is more confident and can handle much of her math lesson independantly now whereas previously, she needed me there for the whole thing...she just didn't get it. Another thing that made me realize it wasn't laziness was that she isn't having these difficulties in her other subjects.

I will pray for the Lord to guide you to the heart of the matter. And that you will leave your hair where it's suppossed to be. :D
~Kelly~
wife of CB since 10/99
mother to:
~Evelyn Grace 5/03
~Joshua Ryan 11/05
~Lillian Rose 8/08
~Caleb Charles 8/10

Kirsten
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Kirsten » Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:54 pm

Thank you, I am soooooo glad to know I am not alone. Somehow that helps! :o
I know I need to spend time in prayer in this area. I have not and perhaps am trying to figure this all out in my own strength.
I still would like to see if anyone out there may be able to suggest if I should have her tested or if there are other signs in learning problems. Am I expecting too much? Or... as another mom wonders, am I not expecting enough and letting all her distractions and guessing control her answers...
Thanks again.
-Kirsten
Creation to Christ 2012-2013
Aaron 11/2000
Heidi 1/2003

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Carrie » Thu Apr 21, 2011 4:08 pm

Kirsten,

A couple of things to check at this point would be to see whether you are getting to the activities scheduled within the Bigger Hearts guide for 2A/2B. This makes a big difference on how well kiddos understand what they're being asked to do. :D

Another thing to check is whether you are following the schedule within the Bigger Hearts guide for the amount of work to be completed each day. I mention this because pacing also has a lot to do with how well kiddos retain.

Next, I'm wondering if you are staying with a concept longer if she doesn't seem to be getting it, or if you are moving on? Typically, we would advise sitting with her and helping her as much as needed, problem by problem so that she is successful with the math. We would also advise not lingering on a concept longer than it is presented and just moving on the next day, knowing it will come around again when she is more mature. Maturity does a lot for helping kiddos understand why a math concept works. :D

Often just being present during the math lesson, teaching the hands-on, doing the lessons at the bite-sized pacing suggested in the guide, moving on to the next lesson even if she doesn't seem to have fully mastered the previous one, and partnering with her to figure out each problem fixes many math woes. It's good to remember that she is not supposed to master all of the concepts in 2A and that we have found that the beginning of the A book of each level is quite a jump. Singapore has a great ebb and flow, so if you move on each day, you'll actually move away from areas that may have been frustrating into areas that are less frustrating. Then, when the concept that was so frustrating comes up again, she'll be older and more ready to handle it. If your oldest son was a mathy kid, all of these things I mentioned above may not have been needed for him, but with your daughter they will make all of the difference in the world. :D

I wouldn't worry about any special testing at this point. Some kiddos are just more mathy than others. Lots of patience and sitting next to her and talking through each problem will help the most. I did it for years in the public school classroom with all sorts of kiddos across the math spectrum (who were all using the same math curriculum) and my constant presence during math time, my patience, and my guided help with talking through each problem made the biggest difference. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Kirsten
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Kirsten » Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:21 pm

Thank you Carrie for your response. I am doing the activities as scheduled in Bigger. I also have 2A and 2B textbooks since I had them for my older son. We started using all kinds of manipulatives too. So she is getting plenty of examples. We had got a little behind just recently with money in 2B because she had a hard time with that and I was trying to spend a little extra time with her. I finally decided it was best to just move on to the next concept because I know from experience that SM will come back to it. So that helped, but now I am becoming frustrated again with telling time. Yesterday she had it! Or so I thought... Today was extremely difficult. I know I need to show her more patience. I know we'll come back when, as you said, she is more mature. Thank you all for the advice and prayers. And for letting me vent :oops:
Thank you all my sisters in Christ,
Kirsten
-Kirsten
Creation to Christ 2012-2013
Aaron 11/2000
Heidi 1/2003

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Carrie » Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:52 pm

Kirsten,

It isn't uncommon for young kiddos to have some struggles with money and time. :D You are so right that moving on is a good idea, until your sweetie is mature enough to handle the concepts. Think of this round of money and time as an introduction. Just remember that most adults understand money as it has value to them! The same is true of time. Adults understand time because it is meaningful to them. :wink: So, your sweet daughter will eventually get this! You are not alone in your frustrations. Money and time are hang-ups for many kiddos in the introduction years. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

birchbark
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:21 am
Location: NW Wisconsin

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by birchbark » Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:07 pm

Is it possible that she is placed wrongly? I had the same experience early this schoolyear with my DS. We backed up a level, and it made all the difference in the world. I was about to bail on Singapore too. :D
Married to a wonderful man since 1995
DS
DS
DD
DS

BrooklynsMom03
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:40 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by BrooklynsMom03 » Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:29 pm

My daughter has some trouble with comprehension....some days she totally gets math ....and I feel we are making progress than boom she has no clue what she learned the day before...it can be flusterating for sure! She has had some sensory processing stuff we have worked on and that has helped her....I was just looking thru the 2B book...tonight to see where we were heading and I saw the money part...and I was like...oh no this is going to be a struggle!

I loved reading Carries response because some times I try to push her to do a little bit more because I feel she should be able to do it....I know other 2nd graders are doing it! After reading this thread I made a couple of notes to remind myself....of not pushing and realizing it will come back around later! This thread was just what I needed to read! Beth in Idaho
Married 25 yrs on June 14
Two sons Chad and Jared both have graduated from college
Blessed with daughter
Now...8 ....starting BHFHG Oct 1...
2nd year of home schooling...

water2wine
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: GA

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by water2wine » Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:19 pm

Just wanted to say money and time were big issues with most of my kids no matter what math we used. Those are ones that challenge a lot of kids. I try to turn those ones into games. Just getting some play money and playing store with it or something like that can help. Taking time and turning that into a game can work well too just a "what time is it when" sort of thing can help. I sometimes find the more casual the better with the game kind of stuff. If they get it wrong correct it but do it in a fun way when you are in the game mode. Those kinds of things help a lot. Those concepts things stump even the smartest kids. :D I know when my first set were learning both money and time I got worried that they were just not ever going to get it and then you start thinking these are basic important things everyone needs to know. But that fear and stress just feeds their fear they will not get it. So if you can just incorporate it in fun ways for a while and take the pressure off that can help a lot. :D
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)

Kirsten
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:05 pm

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by Kirsten » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:14 am

Thank you, thank you, water2wine,
I have been stressing and I know that has stressed DD out too. It's time for mom to relax! :D
Again, I am so grateful for this message board. Don't know what I'd do without it!!!
-Kirsten
Creation to Christ 2012-2013
Aaron 11/2000
Heidi 1/2003

beverett
Posts: 220
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:18 am
Location: Tx

Re: I am going to pull what's left of my hair out!

Post by beverett » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:32 am

I just wanted to say that I too experienced this! My oldest son is like me and very "mathy", we have done Singapore with him all the way, absolutely no problems at all. Then I got to my next child and OH MY... there were plenty of days with tears and frustrations and I thought is it me maybe I am teaching him wriong for his personality?? I asked my husband to teach him since their personalities are similar... same problems. Then I thought about switching to another math... some things ended up happening and we got behind in math, I totally noticed that he is BETTER now, just picks it up and is retaining. He is still not the math whiz that my older and younger brothers are, but he is just different than them. He is very smart in other areas that they are not so interested in though. After looking back at it, I can see what a huge blessing it was that for him we fell behind in math. I think he just needed a little time to mature is all! :D :D HTH as you consider what to do. Just to let you know he is 4th grade and we are just now on 4A books, so technically he is only half a year "behind". I know that we will finish it so I am not worried! Oh and "No More Tears"!!!
Brandi
Blessed with an amazing hubby and6 beautiful boys
DS-graduated!
DS-8th Rev to Rev
DS-6th RTR
DS-3rd Bigger
DS- 5yo LHTH

DS- 1yo future HODie

Post Reply