Refusing to do schoolwork

[phathui5]

Also in Learning at Home...

Ds1 has decided that he's just not doing his schoolwork today. All he has to do is the last 4 pages in the Singapore Math 2A workbook. As in, that's it for the day.

I'm sure it would be easier for me to just scrap it, but he does have to do schoolwork, at least some. Plus I don't want him to think that he can just not do it when he decides he isn't working for the day.

We're at a standstill. I sent him to sit on his bed until he'll do it. It's not that the work is too hard. He's just not doing it.

How do you deal with it when they have work that's assigned and just won't do it?

[bl987ue]

Well, I don't homeschool, so the teacher is a valuable ally. She imposes penalties such as no free work time (which is a highly prized privilege). My kid has yet to refuse to do his work. Does he have any highly loved privileged activity that he will be choosing to lose if he continues to choose to refuse to do his work?

[LilyGrace]

We sit together and do it. Lately, though, he's been into contracts, so our conversation will go something like this:
-How long do you think it will take for you to do X?
-I dunno.....forty five minutes?
-That sounds reasonable. Do you need me to sit with you and walk you through it or come in for 10 minute checks?
-Um....checks.
-Okay. See you in ten.

If it's not done, the consequence is not getting the play time after until it is done. It's fine to do it sitting on his bed, on the floor, on the couch, computer room, table...doesn't matter. But the work gets done before he goes out to play.
This can extend to the weekend if necessary, too.

One thing that does help is having a weekly planner in the front of his binder. He can take a look at what needs to be done each day/week and plan accordingly.

I don't play into the struggle, though. That's an internal thing. I finish up around the house, read a book, knit, come on here...I do my things and stay calm.