Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress level

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schooling123
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Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2018 6:09 am

Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress level

Post by schooling123 »

My son is in Year 4 and we have been doing some additional work for maths, english. As his hours with music practice/ sport activities have increased, I find each day to be busy and somehow "packed". I know that from Year 5 he would require more systematic plan with academic work and maybe other activities could be put in the background...However, he enjoys sport and not sure whether to cut something he enjoys...What would be your recommendations for managing daily routine with academic work? do you give 1 day complete free from any work? Thank you!
kenyancowgirl
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by kenyancowgirl »

You're not giving him even a day off now and he is only in Y4?! Poor thing....If he requires that amount of work now to get into a GS, then he might not be cut out for GS....

Just do reading and some times tables through Y4 but play lots of games like Boggle, Scrabble, Yahtzee etc to improve his vocab and maths. Then do a bit more, small and often in Y5 but leave weekends clear until the summer term - small and often means no more than 20 minutes maybe three times a week and general chat in the car etc as well as reading.

Boys need sport in the same way they need food and sleep. They have to exercise and let off steam, physiologically. Don't cut that or his concentration will be pants.
doodles
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by doodles »

If he's year 4 keep it fun and don't stop something he really enjoys, like his sport, or you will build resentment and could end up with him refusing to do anything.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by yoyo123 »

If he has to do anything additional, make it fun.
As others have said, play games like Scrabble and Yahtzee, card games like 21.
There are also some brilliant, free maths games online. I use them a lot with my maths club. It’s a fun way to get rapid recall of things like times tables.

Year 4 is still very young to be doing lots of formal practice. He needs to play!
piggys
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by piggys »

kenyancowgirl wrote:You're not giving him even a day off now and he is only in Y4?! Poor thing....If he requires that amount of work now to get into a GS, then he might not be cut out for GS....

Just do reading and some times tables through Y4 but play lots of games like Boggle, Scrabble, Yahtzee etc to improve his vocab and maths. Then do a bit more, small and often in Y5 but leave weekends clear until the summer term - small and often means no more than 20 minutes maybe three times a week and general chat in the car etc as well as reading.

Boys need sport in the same way they need food and sleep. They have to exercise and let off steam, physiologically. Don't cut that or his concentration will be pants.
Agreed. It sounds as if you are pushing him far too hard. This is not the way forward; learning needs to be creative and enjoyable at this young age, not hard slog with 'stress levels' that need to be managed. If you feel you have to work him this hard in year 4 then I would say GS is not for him.
2tinkers
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Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:34 am

Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by 2tinkers »

Sometimes it can be hard to know how much is 'enough' but that is difficult to quantify as we don't know your DC.
As others have said play games and do times tables and reading. Don't let what other people are saying about how much work their children might be doing be an indicator of what your son needs.
Yes, let your son be a kid and enjoy what he enjoys but at the same time once you embark on this journey/ path to GS you do need to have a structured approach.However, maybe this point in year 4 is too early to think about managing additional workload but certainly a good opportunity to incorporate reading and making sure times tables are secure and the 'work' he does do remains enjoyable and doesn't become a chore. There are many people who do start in year 4 but that may just lead to burn out.
Good luck.
Guest55
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by Guest55 »

I hope you are not serious OP. He is far too young for this schedule - follow the advice of others or he will get fed up of school.
loobylou
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by loobylou »

I think the vast majority of parents are allowing their children "a day free without any extra work". I think most will be giving much more than a day per week.
anotherdad
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by anotherdad »

Who is stressed, schooling123, you, your son or both of you? You will gather from the replies so far that your current routine is not appropriate, but understanding the root cause of the stress you mention might change the way you deal with it.

A. If it's your son who is stressed, stop the tutoring and follow the advice given. There are many embedded ways of developing useful skills that make learning together interesting and fun. Your current routine is denying your son an enjoyable childhood.

B. If it's you who is stressed, why is that? What pressure are you under that makes your son's success at 11+ so essential that you are putting him through an unreasonable routine? Is it justified? Are you aspiring to meet someone else's expectations? If so, forget them and concern yourself with what makes you and your son happy.

C. If it's both of you that are stressed, go back to B and revisit it until you no longer need A.
ToadMum
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Re: Managing workload/ daily routine/ to reduce the stress l

Post by ToadMum »

loobylou wrote:I think the vast majority of parents are allowing their children "a day free without any extra work". I think most will be giving much more than a day per week.
Think a number rather nearer to, or possibly exactly representing, the number of days in a week, in our case, as an average of how many days 'free' ours had. All three of them. The eldest and the youngest subsequently in the top 10% or so of their year at their grammar school and even the one who failed the 11+ getting nothing below an A in her GCSEs last summer. So even if us not making her spend every spare minute cramming 'caused' her not to pass, the world kept on turning. Asked if she felt that it would have been better if we had stopped her out of school activities and made her 'work' in the time instead, she said no, because she might not only still have failed, but not got her Rookie Lifeguard qualification, nor improved her swimming and diving, nor achieved what she had at Scouts - and then she really would have been miserable.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
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