Today I tried helping my 7 year old with school work … I tried showing him how to add by counting on his fingers … during this 5 minutes he chewed a metal eraser off one pencil and then started chewing the middle of another pencil in half out of anger. Kept telling me I’m forcing him to do work he already did (which was wrong and I explained how it was wrong but he had the right idea and tried to show him how to properly add - he thought 13 + 4 would be added as 1+3+4 but I explained it’s actually 13 as a whole and 4) … at this point he started crying and refusing to even look at what I was trying to show him on my fingers … now he’s full on head hurting, stomach hurting and throwing up to the point he’s laying down from hyperventilating … what do I do and what just happened ?
He’s learned a specific way in class and you’re showing him a different way, it’s not easy for them to explain that.
Speak to his teacher about how to best help.
Simple answer…Anxiety.
Anxiety attack. I would let him take a break next time and then come back later and approach from a different angle. When they get stressed to that point, nothing is sinking in. Maybe practice some breathing exercises or whatever calms him, and then restart the lesson when he feels better.
My son has ADHD (not saying yours does) and he has similar episodes when it comes to homework. I used objects with him. Have him count out 13 of whatever items you choose and then 4. Have him count all of them together. Then he has his answer. This made it less stressful for my son.
It sounds like he may have learned one way in class and you are telling him different. It was enough to overstimulate him and those are reactions from such. Trust me I don’t understand why they are teaching these completely strange ways to do math, but he’s not wrong. 1+3+4=17 (looks different written out on paper) where as for you it’s 13+4=17
They are teaching him the new math, having been a substitute and a mother of 3 kiddos myself, he is frustrated, from experience do what the 2cond grade showed u in the picture and he will understand
Probably new math makes him crazy. It sure does me!
He might be a learner by touch . Make it fun ! take him outside count rocks . Put it in anyway that’ll get his attention. There’s a long way to go when it comes to homework and problem solving lol good luck mom .
Full blown panic attack. When it starts to get stressful it’s time to take a break. He needs to learn how to stay calm and you need to learn this signals of when to take a breather. Maybe a good idea to get up with his teacher and see how they are doing it in class.
He’s confused, frustrated, overwhelmed and had an anxiety attack.
You may have been showing him different than he learned to do it in school and he got stressed out. They teach math much differently now.
Talk to the teacher and ask how to help him.
Talk to the teacher. Figure out what method she’s teaching. You’re breaking it down as simply as you can but he may be more of a visual learner. Get some coins or legos or number blocks or an abacus to make it a visual thing. It’ll click eventually.
I’m an aide in a 2nd grade classroom. Put the homework away for now. Go do something fun for a bit and come back after awhile. Try this method and see if he remembers it from school. The vertical line separates all the place values and helps them line their numbers up in the correct spots.
This sounds like he got overwhelmed and anxious. Anxiety/stress can cause all these symptoms.
Sounds like you also might need to approach educators on how to best help him learn.
I think he might have gotten confused by the new math they are teaching and got anxious. One of ours has ADD and when that child gets overwhelmed or overworked with school work she has a similar reaction. Not saying he has that but maybe he just needs a rest and break.
That is anxiety… And he is struggling with math and having anxiety over it, I would talk to his teacher and see if he/she has suggestions, he needs to find a way that works for him, perhaps you can Google for some suggestions on tricks for solving math problems. Could also be that he is just feeling overwhelmed
My son has high anxiety and would regularly have episodes like this at home if I pushed to hard. I am also a Paraprofessional/adie that works with students struggling in the classroom. Try not to use phrases that include the word “wrong” try something like “let’s try it this way” and use a different approach. We used pepperoni for a visual and hands on approach. The photo above is likely how they are learning it at school or using a number line. To add, he never had issues like this at school so teachers thought I was being dramatic when I explained what was happing at home. Remember a few pointers. 1) If he isn’t understanding it the way you are explaining it, get creative and try a different way. 2) He may also have frustration with this at school but holds it in until he gets home to his safe place which happens to be you. 3) He has been at school for several hours prior he may need a break. Try to keep homework short. Set a timer for your son letting him know when the timer goes off you can take a break for X minutes
(I started with 5 minutes of work and 10 minute breaks). 4) Talk to his teacher. See how they are teaching it or if he seems to be understanding it at school. Also let them know he is struggling at home with doing homework with you.
Hope some of this helps.
When your child gets frustrated, take a break. When my kiddos came home with math, we’d try their way and my way. If it got tense, we’d walk away from it. Tears mean the teacher gets a note saying we couldn’t work this out and that’s why the work isn’t done. There is no need to stress little kids over homework.
Sounds stressed. Talk to Dr about it. The pencil chewing could be a sign of something wrong
Don’t double down if they are melting down. Let them take a break. Coins are perfect for simple addition subtraction, if needed.
Always take a break when it gets to this point. Maybe see if you can incorporate the addition into play. Like collecting rocks and writing the equation with chalk.
Ask him how they are doing it at school and let him do it that way.
My mom used skittles or snacks to help us count. Was great for the less than and greater than section of math. I will say breaks work wonders and studies have shown it’s better for retention in kids and adults
I noticed with my son (7 years old, with specific learning disability) when he gets frustrated to distract him with something else before the frustration escalates. I would say:
Let’s take a break and go pick some flowers outside. Sometimes he take longer to calm down. But I make sure he knows how important it is to finish. Sometimes it take 2 hours to get homework done.
You got this mommy 
Math is difficult maybe he was overwhelmed from math at school to math at home maybe he doesn’t want mom taking the teacher roll could be a variety of things I find the mood in June to be terrible they are just done there 10 mth school jail term and need their much needed break
Have you looked at Pda(Pathological Demand Avoidance) im not saying your child has it but there are definitely some similarities…
Don’t try to teach when someone is frustrated or angry. It never helps. Wait until everyone is calm.
Sounds like anxiety/panic attack.
Overload of the prefrontal cortex region of the brain, statistically its most likely adhd which should be a relief because the other choices arent as easy to deal with, the more you try to force stressful brain tasks the more cortisol will be released into his system
You tell him you’re going to give him 10 minutes to collect himself and We will try again
My bonus son was on an IEP at school because he was labeled with what I call Alphabetical Soup Syndrome
ADD/ADHD/ODD/PTSD
School work was the worst
Aside from him not wanting to do it. If it was math I couldn’t help him. It had to be written in “new form” and show your work. I know old school basic math. Talk to the teacher and tell them you’re having a hard time. Maybe they can help you
Sounds like anxiety, impulsivity & anger. Please have him evaluated for ADHD. Start with researching & taking notes of behavior that you think are signs. Then ask the teacher explaining why you suspect ADHD. In my expirence you’re more likely to listened to if you are educated in both the Illiness & your child. Then ask your Dr for a referral to a physiatrist for an evaluation. In the US. Schools shouldn’t diagnose. .