My son is 8 years old and is repeating 1st grade. Toward the end of last school year he was diagnosed with ADHD and put on Ritalin. At first he did much better on the medication, but since he started it in March, he was kept back. This year he started out fairly well, but the past several months he often refuses to do any of his work in class. It's not that he can't do the work. It's that if he wants to do it, he will. But if he does not want to do it, he just will not. Today, for example, he didn't do one paper in class. He was, however, able to complete ALL of his classwork in his one hour tutoring session that he had tonight.
He is also disruptive in class (according to his teacher) and often disturbs other children. Sometimes the other children get frustrated with him, although his teacher says that for the most part the other children do like him. I am at a total loss of what to do and how to get him to do his work. I have tried rewarding him for completing his school work. I have tried punishing him when he does not do his school work. Nothing seems to work.
I should also mention that last school year he lost his 17 year old sister who died in a car accident. Three months later my father, who he was very close to, died of cancer. I don't know if this might be a factor in his behavior. I have a "theory" that maybe he feels like he can't control much of his life (like when people die), but he CAN control when and if he does his school work. I am certainly not a psychiatrist, but this seems like a possiblity to me. But then again, if that was the case, wouldn't this behavior have started last year??
If anyone has ANY ideas how I can help my son, I would be VERY greatful! Thank you.