What Kind of Animal Lives
in Your House/Classroom?
When doing school work, kids can be like animals. Do you have one of these in your house or classroom?
Ostrich: A child who becomes easily overwhelmed with a task and then retreats instead of attempting the task.
Lion: A child who reacts with angry outbursts and can be very physical when a task or expectation is perceived as too big/high.
Turtle: A child who is often slow to get started on a task. S/he can sit and stare for long periods of time seemingly not knowing how to start or complete a task. S/he is often methodical and can be slow in pace when completing tasks.
Donkey: A child who is often rigid in his/her thinking and can become stubborn when faced with a difficult task, then may refuse to complete it or alter the task to meet his/her own expectations.
It is quite possible for a child to act one way during school and another at home. For example, s/he may be like an ostrich in school, building stress throughout the day and releasing his/her stress by becoming a lion when s/he gets home. For a child ike this it might be helpful to observe for typical patterns of breakdown (time of day, association with kind of task, etc.). Helping your child break down a task into less complex/ overwhelming chunks also might be a useful strategy.
