Grandson on TLB

[jinman]

We now have our 11 yo grandson living with us. In the past, he was a problem in school, but we've been working to improve his behavior and performance. For each success, there is praise and some kind of reward for doing good. So far, his math and science skills have taken a huge turn toward improvement. The biggest challenge we face is getting his reading/writing skills to improve. Bear in mind that he's only been here for three weeks. We don't expect miracles, but we take the time to work daily with him on reading and comprehension. The next big challenge will be organizing thoughts and putting them down on paper in a cohesive manner. So far, his success has been nothing short of phenomenal in behavior and grades. He is thriving on daily structure, attention, and love. Yesterday, he scored 100 on his math and science homework. He also took a major science test over electricity and scored 100. It was obvious to me that he deserved a big reward, so I took him out and let him operate the TLB (photos attached). What he found out was that the tractor is not like a video game. When the boom goes down, the back of the tractor lifts up and moves around. He didn't like that very much.:shocked: However, the more he dug, the better he got. As he grows, he'll be able to do better, but that's a long way off.

Since he arrived, we have been letting him drive our Kawasaki Mule almost everywhere we go. He has become very skilled at operating and could do that easily by himself, but he's just not quite mature enough in his decisions to let him go by himself. However, he has taken to fishing very well. We were fishing in our lake last weekend and he caught 15 bluegill and 1 black bass. That was three more fish than I caught. He was thrilled to beat his Jaypa (the name my grandkids call me).:thumbsup:

 

[blueriver]

Thats good Jim and I'm happy for you and him. He will be the better for it.

Remember I took my G'son in at about that age. He is now 14 and has become quite a hand around here. He goes up and down with the grades ... down during Baseball season!!!

Keep it going.

 

[bullbreaker]

Jim
Enjoyed reading positive ongoing results going on from this (your) thread regarding your Grandson ! :thumbsup:
The youth of the world are well worth investing love,time,sweat,blood,$$$$$$$$$, and tears in. Great post ! Big blessings to all.
BTW start looking for your own TLB. It appears that one has a new owner ! :thumbsup:

Boone

 

[jinman]

He goes up and down with the grades ... down during Baseball season!!!

Keep it going.

Thanks blueriver. Your success has been a great encouragement to me. My grandson has never been allowed to participate in any sport, do scouting, or have the outdoor freedoms country kids take for granted. We plan to end that and get him involved as much as possible. He really loves basketball, so he'll soon have some red-suited December visitor bringing a basketball goal.

Bullbreaker: Oh no! I already lost my Kawasaki Mule. You mean to tell me that I now have to give up my TLB too? Oh the horrors. . .

 

[milkman636]

That's great. If every kid had a dad or grandpa willing to give quality time there would be alot fewer problems in society today.

Even if it is not immediate, he'll appreciate and remember every minute you are investing in him.

 

[blueriver]

Thanks blueriver. Your success has been a great encouragement to me. My grandson has never been allowed to participate in any sport, do scouting, or have the outdoor freedoms country kids take for granted. We plan to end that and get him involved as much as possible. He really loves basketball, so he'll soon have some red-suited December visitor bringing a basketball goal.

Bullbreaker: Oh no! I already lost my Kawasaki Mule. You mean to tell me that I now have to give up my TLB too? Oh the horrors. . .

And the next thing you'll be shooting baskets and throwing the football!!!

Grandma came home one day with a new ball bat ... then some weeks later she said " I don't see you using your bat" Riley said to her "I didn't want to hurt your feelings ITS A SOFTBALL BAT!!!!!!

I know how you can get the Mule back .... I had lost my Gator until I came home with a used Honda 4 wheeler.

 

[jinman]

I know how you can get the Mule back .... I had lost my Gator until I came home with a used Honda 4 wheeler.

That's a possibility, but that also is certainly a long way off. The other day he asked us when we'd buy him a dirt bike. We both said he should remind us when he's 30 and has kids and lots of insurance.

 

[beppington]

And the next thing you'll be shooting baskets and throwing the football!!!

Grandma came home one day with a new ball bat ... then some weeks later she said " I don't see you using your bat" Riley said to her "I didn't want to hurt your feelings ITS A SOFTBALL BAT!!!!!!

I know how you can get the Mule back .... I had lost my Gator until I came home with a used Honda 4 wheeler.

Careful, those things are dangerous! Super fast & no roll bar Of course that's exactly what a kid wants.

I went from a Honda 4 wheeler to a Kawasaki Mule :thumbsup:

 

[blueriver]

Careful, those things are dangerous! Super fast & no roll bar Of course that's exactly what a kid wants.

I went from a Honda 4 wheeler to a Kawasaki Mule :thumbsup:

Your absolutly right ... I know kids are kids and will do kid things. I have since day one advised him that speed is not an indicator of a good driver ... yes I also know kids do things behind our back...he also knows that G'pa's foot fits just fine on his back side.

Him and I talk alot about safety and find sometimes he reminds me ... that tells me he is listening when I talk.

 

[Western]

He is thriving on daily structure, attention, and love.
:thumbsup:

Well Jaypa, I think the above statement is the core reward for that young boy. It is amazing what those 3 things can do for anyone struggling. I bet you and the Mrs are enjoying it as much as him and it sounds like he'll be a right str8 G-son.

Being adopted my self, I say Kudos to ya!

 

[jinman]

Well Jaypa, I think the above statement is the core reward for that young boy. It is amazing what those 3 things can do for anyone struggling.

Thank you, Dennis. Our grandson just got his first report card. He got three A's, two B's, and one C. The C is in language arts. It's very hard for Scott to read and comprehend. He reads (pronounces) words just fine, but doesn't put the meaning of the sentence together without repeated reading. He also has trouble with describing things in written sentences. When he wants to do something like go fishing, I make him sit down and make a list of everything we need and then tell me how it is used. He has to think for himself. For now, he's a lot better at describing what he needs to go fishing than he is at understanding books, but he's showing progress.:thumbsup:

 

[blueriver]

Thank you, Dennis. Our grandson just got his first report card. He got three A's, two B's, and one C. The C is in language arts. It's very hard for Scott to read and comprehend. He reads (pronounces) words just fine, but doesn't put the meaning of the sentence together without repeated reading. He also has trouble with describing things in written sentences. When he wants to do something like go fishing, I make him sit down and make a list of everything we need and then tell me how it is used. He has to think for himself. For now, he's a lot better at describing what he needs to go fishing than he is at understanding books, but he's showing progress.:thumbsup:

Riley is required to keep a journal ... his writing skills are not so good. He loves to read and I get a kick out of it when I ask him to read me some pages from his journal ... he always finds himself not being able to read his own writing ... so we keep that going. When he takes the time he can write good. I think he trys to hurry so he can get it done and then gets sloppy.

 

[jinman]

When he takes the time he can write good. I think he trys to hurry so he can get it done and then gets sloppy.

Oh my! That hits pretty close to home for me. My penmanship was always sloppy unless I slowed down and took my time. As I look back, my handwriting would have improved in speed if I'd just trained myself to first do it neatly. When I became an instructor in the military, I taught for 8 hours per day and filled up chalkboards on a regular basis. I began to print everything and developed a style of printing that is clear, neat, and evenly spaced. I continued teaching after I retired from the military and began to use whiteboards almost exclusively. Several people over the years have complimented me on my printing skills. I can write cursive, but I'm just as fast printing, and it's far more legible. I think I know just how Riley feels.

 

[blueriver]

Riley has the week off from school and has decided he is going to train a 2 year old Jenny Donkey about 13 hands that has never been handled and shoot a deer. He has had some bucks coming in and he just thinks he'll walk out there one afternoon and get him one ...

 

[jinman]

Riley has the week off from school and has decided he is going to train a 2 year old Jenny Donkey about 13 hands that has never been handled and shoot a deer. He has had some bucks coming in and he just thinks he'll walk out there one afternoon and get him one ...

Well, he'll have a lot easier time training a Jenny than a Jack, but starting at 2 years old means he has a big job ahead of him. Donkeys aren't known for changing their ways.

Tell Riley what he should really do is hide out and throw a lasso on that buck. . . :laughing:

 

[Bird]

Oh my! That hits pretty close to home for me. My penmanship was always sloppy unless I slowed down and took my time. As I look back, my handwriting would have improved in speed if I'd just trained myself to first do it neatly. When I became an instructor in the military, I taught for 8 hours per day and filled up chalkboards on a regular basis. I began to print everything and developed a style of printing that is clear, neat, and evenly spaced. I continued teaching after I retired from the military and began to use whiteboards almost exclusively. Several people over the years have complimented me on my printing skills. I can write cursive, but I'm just as fast printing, and it's far more legible. I think I know just how Riley feels.

When I started on the police department long before the days of computers and word processors, we had to block print all our paperwork by hand. I never did think my handwriting using cursive was very pretty, but I did get lots of compliments on my printing.:laughing:

 

[blueriver]

Well, he'll have a lot easier time training a Jenny than a Jack, but starting at 2 years old means he has a big job ahead of him. Donkeys aren't known for changing their ways.

Tell Riley what he should really do is hide out and throw a lasso on that buck. . . :laughing:

I can hear "Now What Grandpa!!"

He has her leading to the hitching rail, rubbing all over .. she did kick at him yesterday and I heard him tell her "Now Peppi thats not nice" Then I saw him using a cattle fiberglass sorting stick rubbing that leg!!

Says Wednesday is riding day!!

 

[buckle97]

Jim, it's great to hear your grandson is making such improvements in school. You are providing him with skills that will help him so much when he is older...and I'm not just talking about operating the TLB. I bet things are different for you and Kathy now that a young'n is around the place.

 

[jinman]

Thanks Lawrence. If I can teach him that when he drives he doesn't need to go as fast as it will go and then turn as hard as it will turn, I'll have accomplished a bunch. No matter if it's the Mule, the mowers, the HST tractor, or TLB, he wants to go fast and turn. The Mule will drift when he does that, but it's a bit disconcerting on the TLB. He's getting better, but the effect of years of video games shows when he drives something in the real world. He doesn't have a bicycle yet (Christmas and his birthday are coming up). We have one of those big pneumatic tire tricycles. He gets at the top of the driveway and coasts down as fast as he can go while standing of the platform between the rear tires. At the bottom of the hill, there's a terrace across the driveway to divert water. He tries to "get air" going over the terrace. We know he's overdue for an accident and just hope the first one doesn't include broken bones.:confused2:

 

[Bird]

Jim, it sounds as if your years of teaching on your jobs is coming in handy with the grandson. I'd say he's lucky to have someone like you and Kathy.