My step son, is learning challenged he has been doing great and his development has improved over the past two years. However when it comes to time or telling the time he is clueless. We have tried many different ways and have gotten him a digital clock and a calender but he just doesn't seem to "get" the concept.
He will bring up things that have happened years ago as though they where yesterday and demand an explanation. It will take awhile to sort out as its usually a huge jump in time. Like an incident where he has had a argument about eating broccoli two years before, he will bring it up as though it was yesterday and say well I tried that yesterday so I wont try it today. For me its a challenge for one to remember the times from years past and try to place them in the present.
Is anyone else have this issue with there 8 year old?
Well, I'll tell you this much...when I say to my son (at 8:10 am and we have to leave for the bus stop at 8:15) "Do you see what time it is? Gotta hustle...", I get blank stare.
You mentioned that he is learning challenged. Is there a possibility that he has some brain damage? Or some type of disability that the brain signals are not working properly?
What you describe sounds more like the brain is not working the way it should. Similar to problems people have after extreme head injuries.
Christine,
We have a very regular routine, he doesn't like change:) so eating, bed time, all that are on a daily schedule which we have on the wall for him to "track" which he loves to do. He likes to see the progression of the day.
Again the main issue is his leaps in time, when we are talking about events or issues. For him they are either two years ago or just last week. Its concerning. Just wondering if anyone else out there had that issue with there 8 year old.
Again thanks for all the feedback its been most helpful.
It sounds like he has some sort of disability, perhaps autism related.
If he's learning other things and appears to have some artistic abilities, I would say that he will maybe eventually care about time continuum.
Time is a stress factor for most of us, maybe he avoids it just for that reason-- so GOOD for him!
Most MEN are time challenged, don't ya think? lol
This is pretty typical. He'll learn as he matures and has more experience and life behind him. How can kids be expected to have a great concept of time as such young ages when they don't have much time behind them?
I guess it's hard to tell without knowing your DS if it's normal or not. My DS is 8.5 and he's not super keen with time either. I get the blank stare like PPer or just lack of concept of time. My DS is quite smart so I am guessing it's age appropriate or boy/age appropriate. LOL
I would not be too overly concerned with this being a serious problem. Given that he has a learning disability, it makes sense that understanding the concept of time is difficult for him. In actuality, time is an abstract concepts and many kids struggle with understanding it since abstract thinking doesn't actually begin to occur until middle childhood (tween years). One of the things that you might find helpful for him is to keep him on a pretty organized and consistent schedule. It may even help to post his schedule where he can see it. Also, if the schedule is laid out in the days of the week format, this might be even more beneficial for him. Visual cues are great especially in kids who struggle with learning.
"The child psychologist who thought she had all the answers to parenting until she became one herself." www.themommypsychologist.com
Clocks don't necessarily mean anything especially to a child whether learning challenged or not. Afterall humanity has configured and made up clocks and such. This isn't a big deal even for an 8 year old, although usually by this age they're more aware of time. Young children only know Now. Perhaps you should let all this go for a while. And think on what this is saying to you about him and about life, about time itself, and then re-present it in a way that is more attuned to his way of thinking. Does he have a regular time for bed, breakfast, supper etc.? Children need the rhythum of the day and night to begin to understand time, they need to live it. Do you watch the sunrise or sunset together and admire it's light and colors? Do you say things like, time to do the laundry, time to eat breakfast, etc.? Maybe you could start a particular activity that you do at the same time every day, something new, something enriching and interesting and fun. Do you knit? If so this would be a good one as it's so enriching in so many ways and helps the brain to balance itself. Time is more of a feeling than numbers on a clock. Adults forget this as their sense of wonder and livingness of the day becomes dimisnished. Even though he has some developmental problems let this go and work with the fullness of the day and night, see things from his eyes as best you can.
Sending the Best to you and your son
