Teaching your highly active boy.

  

I have a 6 year old boy, and I know that teaching a boy is a lot different than teaching a girl.

Girls are usually more calm, and are able to sit longer, and do their lessons.

Boys are another story. lol

You have to make things fun, active, and well, boyish.

For instance, when we were learning our letters, I wanted to do the letter tree, or caterpillar that I have seen so many do, but my son thought it was too babyish.

So, we did a letter of the week snake! ( We call it a diamond back rattle snake, hence the diamonds, lol.)

 

All the letters are now filled in, but I had to make it more boyish, and something that he really liked. 

You can read my full post about the Alphabet Snake here.

If you can do something outside, do it. Boys are so active, and they need to be able to get their energy out. You can call out math fact while passing the ball, or counting the times they jump rope.

Sometimes it even helps if you let them stand up and do their work rather than make them sit down.

I like to do math and sound practice out loud while we are doing other things, or are in the car.

I also break up his lessons with activity breaks.We will do one subject, and then I'll let him go outside and play for a while. This also gives me time to focus on my daughter and her work.
This is probably the biggest help. I only have him do seat work for short periods of time, and then let him get up and be active. 

Teaching boys can be a little challenging, as they are highly distractable, and they can have a short attention span, but it can be such a joy to teach boys.

Boys are so precious, and they are so sweet, and you will learn a lot too. You will learn to like bugs, and gross stuff, and you will learn to love their dirty little faces and hands, and you will look back on all those chaotic days with a smile and great joy in your heart.

So, if you find yourself stressed out because you just don't know how to teach your highly active boy, take heart, slow down a little, and learn to work with his attention span, and make learning fun.

If you had a girl first, like I did, it can take you a while to learn how to tailor schoolwork to your son, but it will be worth it.

You don't want to make your boy do everything exactly as your daughter did. You have to recognize their differences, and go with them.

I know that this can make it a little challenging when you have multiple children, but remember God blessed you with all of your children, no matter how many or few you have, and He will not give you anything that you can't handle.

So, enjoy your job as a mother of boys, and go outside and catch some bugs!

P.S. I also have a daughter, and she is wonderful, and I love her very much.