The Stool

Four loves his reading lessons but some days, many days, he loves just sitting on my lap even more. he will sit there for hours and purposefully get the answers wrong to prolong the time with mom. this would make me very frustrated because the other kids needed me. I don't have hours every day to sit and patiently encourage--even though I would like to have that. I found we were even wasting the lessons as I got short tempered and just told him the answers. Then I thought of the stool. I ask him right after breakfast if he is ready to read. If he says no, he gets to sit on a stool. he has to stay there until he says he is ready to read and if he peters out during the lesson, he can take a break on the stool. It is not really a punishment as much as it is a choice. I choose to not get upset that the other kids need me and don't get me because I am frustrated that Four is taking so long, and he is choosing when he wants to do his reading. He just doesn't get to play. He is remarkably compliant with this system--even on the days when he chooses to sit there for a couple of hours. But most days, he just jumps up and does his lesson. No fuss and he reads really well for his age. The real rule here is that he doesn't get to play before his schoolwork is done. I believe this is a habit that needs to be instilled fairly early so when they are bigger, there is no fight about procrastination.