Hi Tracee! Well, it's pretty normal for first days not to go off without a hitch. Our dc have probably been used to goofing off a good portion of their day, and being pretty in charge of their playing, so it's not always easy to get "down to the business of school", even when HOD makes school pretty fun.
So, first, I just want to encourage you that many of us have had not so great first days, first weeks, even first months sometimes - but this is not an indicator of how the year as a whole is going to go.
If I were you, I'd wait on starting your LHTH duo for a few weeks, until you get your oldest doing LHFHG into a routine. I would clip along with LHFHG, falling these time allotments as closely as you can:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4244&p=31219#p31219
As far as the rhymes, some dc just get a little self conscious about them. I'd just let him know that they are part of his school, and that it should take about 2 minutes to do if he can just do it pleasantly the first time. You can say a line, and then he can. I wouldn't expect over the top excitement or involvement, and I'd clip along with it at a quick pace, but a polite attitude can be expected. I do think that it's important not to omit things our dc have a harder time with, as they are often the things they need to get better at doing. Doing the rhyme with actions, paves the way for memorizing Bible verses with actions, which paves the way for memorizing Bible passages with actions. My oldest just memorized all of Phil. 2 this year in CTC, and there is no way he could have done that without the helps of the CD and the actions he put with the verses. He also had to stand up and give a short "advertisement" speech to sell me on his book (a form of oral narration, and a stepping stone to speech someday). So, his overcoming his awkwardness at standing up, talking, and moving around, which we first did together when doing fingerplays and rhymes was very necessary to be able to do these later skills.
You can let him know that every part of his LHFHG has a purpose that is built upon later, and that while it seems like just fun, it's to get him ready for harder things later.
As far as the listening, that is totally normal for the beginning of kindergarten. Listening is a skill that is going to take some time to develop, and I think it takes longer for the average boy (I have 3 of them
). Anyway, here are a few past posts specific to this topic that may be helpful:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=126&p=7855
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5750&p=42243
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5106&p=37564
So, I think you just need to give it some time, and know that these are the very skills ds needs to work on improving, and that he will surely do so over time.
I also think it's helpful to have an order for the boxes that becomes routine for dc, so you may want to consider making a simple chart for him he can "x" off, so he can see he's finishing things and on his way to not only having a good school day, but also on his way to finishing and getting to his free time.
LHFHG should take about 1 1/2 hours to do, you can let him know that if he gives school his all and all, he'll be done in that amount of time and can still have a lot of free time to play.
I hope something here helps! I think your ds sounds like a completely normal kindergarten aged boy, and I think he'll be enjoying school overall once he gets used to it and understands that this is what he needs to do for school. (It helps my sons to point out how LONG ps dc are often sitting in a desk at school.
) HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
Now he asks me NOT to sing with him and to let him put on a show as he sings his verse. 