A great moment with Duckie!

[tiredmommy]

Duckie has *always* struggled with me teaching her any skill. She gets very defensive and usually has a meltdown during those times when I simply must work with her. This means that we've missed countless opportunities to work on projects such as crafts, sewing, cooking. I've had to limit myself to parenting Duckie and allow others in her life help her with the finer points along the way. It's hurt to do this, but I recognize that she's not going to learn much when melting down.

So... on Monday the program aides in her unit at GS camp were teaching the girls how to make boondoggle between other projects. Duckie didn't understand it and brought her boondoggle cords home in defeat.

I found it tonight and started to quietly work on it. Duckie comes and sits down next to me and explains that she couldn't figure it out. I told her it was pretty complicated and kinda tough for a kid her age (I didn't bring up her fine motor problems). I told her to watch carefully as I did a few stitches and then maybe I could help her to do a few.

I'm pleased to report that she's now able to do boondoggle. I'm very proud of my little girl.

 

[jannie]

What a great accomplishment !! Way to go Mom and difficult child..It so nice to hear about all of Duckie's accomplishments over the past year or so....You must be so proud...I remember your worries about starting kindergarten...and now she's ready for first grade and has done so well !!

 

[Andy]

Way to go Duckie! Hope you had fun at camp.

 

[TerryJ2]

Congrats!!!!

uh, what is it?

 

[KateM]

Thanks for sharing this great moment! TM, you are such a devoted and involved mom. by the way, what is a boondoggle?? I went through GS camp as a kid and was a Brownie leader for easy child's troop, but I'm stumped on that term!

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

I googled Boondoggle.

It's kinda like friendship bracelets, no? But with flexible plastic? I can see how that would be frustrating for a kid. How nice that you guys had that time to work on it, and how proud she must be of her new skill!

 

[tiredmommy]

Here's a link to a website I found that explains it pretty well. I'm not sure why, but it's incredibly popular among Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts:

http://www.boondoggleman.com/index.htm

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Sometimes our difficult children learn best when they don't know they are learning!!!!! She was watching without anxiety. Glad to hear she learned a new skill. It's a lot of fun. easy child did it for a couple years.

Sharon

 

[Fran]

Great way to teach without a kid getting defensive. My difficult child does better learning when he watches and does some hand's on.
Good for Duckie for wanting to learn. Good job parenting. You could have made it for her but you let her find her own way of learning.

 

[ML]

That is fantastic. Do you think if I do 4th grade math my difficult child will silently watch and learn? lol.. I guess they have to be interested first Besides I'm not sure I'm smarter than a 4th grader let alone a 5th grader.

 

[house of cards]

What a great activity for her to have under her belt for times when she is bored. It's really nice you found a way around her road blocks.

 

[Christy]

Nice to hear What a smart way to go about it.

 

[Wiped Out]

TM,
What a great moment that you shared with Duckie

My difficult child used to love doing this only he called it gimp!

 

[timer lady]

TM,

Great way to "sneak" in those moments with Duckie. I've had to work this way with the tweedles all their young lives.

Isn't it fun to see the "lightbulb" switch on & you know they've got it?

Good job, mom.

Way To Go, Duckie This is one proud cyber auntie~

 

[tiredmommy]

Ladies, thanks for the kudos, but credit goes to Duckie. She decided that she wanted to learn and didn't fall into her negative habits.

 

[busywend]

Way To Go Duckie!
Way To Go, TM!!

What a great moment for you to look back on always. Be sure it is in her baby book. Boondoggle is a big memory for me as a kid. difficult child, too.

 

[butterflydreams]

What a wonderful moment you had with Duckie! Glad that she was able to pick up the skill under your careful instructions.

Way to go!

 

[amazeofgrace]

gesh that remonds me of when difficult child I had to weave on a loom for his art mid term, who do you think sat there weaving? not difficult child I, that was when I was still fighting the good fight now, I say "looks like you're getting an F"

 

[tiredmommy]

You aren't going to believe this, it actually gets better!

We went to the library for the summer reading program. There was a talent showcase and a basket raffle drawing. Kids got their tickets based on the number of books they had read.

First, Duckie and a friend performed two cheers and a camp song. They did great! This is especially important as Duckie had been getting very self-conscious lately.

Then, the basket raffle: Duckie had placed tickets in a few different baskets: tickets to a theatrical production, a Webkinz basket, and a baby doll set. I was surprised by the baby doll choice and asked why. She said it was cute and she could save it as a gift for one of her friends. Good 'nuff! She really wanted the Webkinz basket.

She was seated with her cheer friend and the four year old daughter of her kindergarten teacher. She won the baby doll, walked up to collect it, walked back and handed it to the four year old.

She didn't win the Webkinz basket but didn't complain because she said she got a really good feeling in her heart when she gave the doll away.

 

[smallworld]

TM, what a heartwarming story! Yes, credit goes to Duckie, but you have to be doing something right, too. Way To Go Mom and Duckie!!!