I love my boy. I love the fact that he enjoys creating with Legos. This week he's been building various Star Wars ships.
I love that at age 11 he still very much loves to PLAY. (We played UNO on his bed Saturday night.)
We are working on learning to WORK. Our culture emphasizes relaxation and entertainment a LOT, but this boy is struggling with understanding the main purposes or life are NOT relaxation and entertainment! We're having a hard time motivating him to want to work, learn, strive, and take initiative. I will admit, those things don't sound fun...but they are definitely important. We are trying to carefully teach him why these are important qualities in life.
It is tough to get this kid to want to get out of bed and go to school.
He doesn't like riding the bus because kids are vulgar and mean. (I understand.)
He doesn't like working together with a partner or in a group for assignments in class because understanding come easily for him but explaining how he came about an answer and helping others to figure it out does not come easily. (I understand this too.)
He doesn't like being feeling bored while being made to wait for others to finish their work. (I understand.)
HOWEVER, we are trying to help him see that there are good reasons he should do all of these things, and reasons that they are good things for him to do!
He can be kind to kids on the bus even when they are rude and mean, and be an example of Jesus' love to them. They may not get to see that anywhere else.
He can take time to think backwards through how he did a math problem and learn to analyze while helping others too.
He can read or help his teachers while waiting for others to finish assignments and learn to use spare time wisely...
Hopefully, if we continue to repeat and reinforce he will learn to stop whining and complaining, and God will grow in him a grateful, helping heart.
Starting last week, I told him he will have no access to any kind of screens--TV, computer, Wii, iPod, Kindle, anything (unless required for homework) for 21 consecutive days--until he can get up and get ready for school (which, for him, includes 6 things: get out of bed, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put on shoes and coat and backpack, and walk to bus stop) while being respectful to me and not making me turn into a crazy, screaming lunatic. Once he can do that 21 days in a row (which is apparently the length of time it takes to form or break a habit), we will talk about having access to screens again.
The first 2 days, we had to start the 21 days over again. He is now into no-screen time over spring break. The next day, he started to get the idea, and did well. Saturday morning, his Dad woke him up at 5:30, and he was ready to leave the house in 7 minutes. (I give him an hour on school days.) When we showed him that he was not giving me the same respect as he gives his dad in this situation, he started to understand.
Sunday morning, I needed to leave the house at 7:20 to get to worship band rehearsal. The main church service doesn't start until 10am, so Jeremy and the girls would leave a couple hours later. Caeden was wide awake at 6am. He was excited to go to church, because he hasn't been the last few weeks due to wrestling meets. He was ready to go in "no time" and begging me to take him with me. We even had time to put some cool purple hair glue in his hair and get to church early.
This morning, I was in bed but awake and heard him literally fall out of bed and onto the floor at 5:57a.m. He got dressed and came to me saying he was going to go eat and then empty the dishwasher. He also took his sheets off his bed and to the basement to be washed. He decided to change his alarm to 6:00 so he would have more time to get ready in the mornings. We'll see how things progress, I guess!
It is hard to be intentional and work on growing up! I sure do love this kid!!!!!
