I am noticing a strange phenomenon

[Cadam]

I am not completely sure, but it seems my dd is better behaved when she has learned new concepts.

Yesterday morning was pretty terrible and then in early afternoon when usually she would be getting tired (and have even worse behavior) I taught her multiple digit multiplication. After that she did chores without much complaining and was rather pleasant.

Is this my imagination or could challenging math problems be the key to good behavior for her? :001_huh: this isn't exactly scientific but I am going to observe a bit more as see if there is a correlation.

[In The Great White North]

Boy, are you lucky!:001_smile:

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

Hmmm... I should consider this for my own whiny child. She hates hates hates doing stuff she's already learned.

[CleoQc]

My son is definitely like that... I don't really have to 'teach' him something new. I could also just hand him a book with new concepts in it. He'll inhale the whole thing and behave well for 24 hours.

[Arch At Home]

My oldest is much more at peace when she is being presented with new material.

[KAR120C]

I don't know if it's the challenge itself and the direction of his energy (to work instead of whining), or if it's the feeling of satisfaction when he has met the challenge head on and emerged victorious.

Then there's a third possibility... that the patterns of math are either inherently comforting or distracting from more chaotic thoughts. I know for me I can do Sudoku as a stress-reliever (not exactly math, but patterns), but it only works if it's completely engaging. If it's too easy I can still keep an anxious running commentary in my head -- it has to be all-consuming.

Either way, I've definitely noticed the same effect here, both for DS and for me! :)

[EKS]

My older son is much easier and more pleasant to deal with when he is intellectually stimulated.

[attachedto4]

I keep reading threads that make ring a bell for me, I cringe at how clueless I've been about keeping up with my kids. This makes so much sense to me, it's when my kids aren't stimulated that a lot of arguing goes on. Dh and I have joked before that they're like German Shepherds- intelligent and need a job to do, or they get into mischief. But it's my ds7 who is so hard to deal with sometimes, he is very high needs, and I never thought of how much of the behavioral things are related to boredom, he needs something to mentally chew on everyday. I think you've got something there.

[Cadam]

Then there's a third possibility... that the patterns of math are either inherently comforting or distracting from more chaotic thoughts. I know for me I can do Sudoku as a stress-reliever (not exactly math, but patterns), but it only works if it's completely engaging. If it's too easy I can still keep an anxious running commentary in my head -- it has to be all-consuming.

This is interesting. She is very high anxiety and loves patterns. In the past during a stressful situation she has asked "Can I please just go inside and do math?". I am betting it is a combination of things that calm and engage her. I am going to go dig up a Suduko book....

[WTMCassandra]

Now I find this whole thing hilarious. I hate numbers and math. I've always been terrible at it.

Reading is what calms me. I become Miss Crankypants if I don't get some every day.

I detest Sodoku and cannot imagine why people like it.

So I guess I'm completely opposite of this!

[Cadam]

I don't know if this is exactly the key to her behavioral problems but she is happily doing a puzzle now and I just made her a little packet of Sudoku I printed from the internet. At least it is one more thing to keep her busy

[Ruth in Canada]

Lots of books = well-behaved kid
All books read = emergency

[Arch At Home]

My kids exactly.

[WTMCassandra]

Now THAT's funny!

[JWSJ]

Yep, that's my son exactly.

Keep him busy...

[lighthouseacademy]

I noticed this when my son was very little... like 2. I bought him those Mighty Minds pattern blocks and would sit for 30-45 minutes with him. Then he was a happy boy... He is his happiest when he is academically engaged and challenged as well as gets some physical activity... the other day he worked for 6? hours on seat work (his choice) and after that he was a terror because he wouldn't go run outside... little boys need to run too!
As for the books read=emergency- that is our house too. I went to the library and brought an armload of books for ds and when I walked in the door, his face lit up so brightly he looked like he does on Christmas morning!

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

She's reading, and I brought home about 6 books or so the other day, and she started jumping up and down. Last month she asked if she could take some of her money and buy some Diego books. So, we took $15 to Borders and she was able to purchase four books. This was great, because when I would go into a store, her and her sister would sit on the floor next to me and look through their books. Shopping with children has never been so easy!

[Kalah]

This is my 8yo too. I'm in the sudoku camp as well. Although recently I found that coloring mandalas works even better. Who would have thought!?

[sarahberry]

I can't say it would be math specific but certainly being challenged. In our house when ds is bored it equals diaster. My husband can always tell when I haven't done school with ds because he simply becomes a little terror when he hasn't been challenged. Also, when we are between grade levels and I am gettign stuff ready he drives me insane. We do school everyday to keep our home as sane as it can possibly be. The result: A happy child and a very worn out mommy!

Books are also a lifesaver here too! When in doubt grab some books and we have family reading time....soon enough it ends up being ds on the couch curled up with books reading nice and quiet for some time!

This is a relief to read because I had thought that maybe this was just something we experienced and not anyone else lol.