Max had an opportunity to participate in an after school math program, called Math Olympiad, because of good state testing scores. Naturally, I wanted him to be challenged since regular math class tends to be too easy for him. I signed him up and after attending the class on Wednesdays he seems energized. However, there is some homework due each time and he complains about doing it.
Similarly, there is a special science program, Science Alliance, for 5th graders where they work on a science fair project with a high school mentor's guidance for several months. This was open to any 5th grader in the district and competitive to get in. I sat at my computer ready to click away at the site as soon as they opened the registration and I did end up getting him a spot. Unfortunately, similar to Math Olympiad, he seems happy after meeting with his mentor, but as for the work, he is not excited about it. He went through several project ideas because he couldn't find passion for the first ideas. The project he settled on was, building a levitating water fountain with a stroboscopic effect. It turns out, he is not very passionate about this idea either, but it is too late to change it. Now that it is deadline time, dad is stuck doing a majority of the work to build the fountain. Also, I just told Max that the science fair is all day where he will stand by his project, present it and answer questions. He was not pleased to hear that.
Honestly, any activity I sign him up for has the same outcome. While he may agree to it at the beginning, anything that takes him away from gaming at home (which is anything) becomes a nuisance (for us both). With each of these, I was hoping that it would be a stimulating exercise, but instead it seems to cause distress. Hopefully, we will see the benefit later and he will be thankful, or at least it will "build character".
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