An Aid for Parents (and Educators) of Boys

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From the founder and director of Green Ivy Consulting comes a book for parents and educators of boys who are disorganized and easily dissuaded from their tasks. That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life is the product of Ana Homayoun’s extensive research and experience working with boys who are struggling to get organized and succeed in various areas of life, only one of which is academics.

Ana Homayoun is a nationally acclaimed motivator for junior high and high school students. This book offers tips and helps for parents and educators of boys in particular.

“Why single out boys?” you may ask.

Statistics show that boys just don’t multitask as well as girls when it comes to academic planning and production. Boys are also more likely to be kinesthetic learners, making a “one size fits all” teaching mentality useless much of the time.

I am a mom of a son who is extremely kinesthetic in nature. I found so much advice from this book empowering and helpful.

- Boys don’t learn to be organized if parents are too organized FOR them. (They begin to use their parents as a crutch, even unintentionally. Helicopter parenting is a no-no if self-sufficiency is your goal.)

- Paying your son money for good grades is not encouraged; it gives value to grades (output) rather than value to learning itself.

This book also:

- Shows how to easily identify (dis)organizational styles
- Instructs you how to make steps toward setting academic and personal goals (all work and no play = decreased output and quality)
- Shows how to set up and organize a binder and a planner
- Gives tips on setting up a specific space for learning and studying, preferably not in the bedroom (but still gives tips if the bedroom is the only available spot)
- Shows how to effectively help your child prepare for and take quizzes and tests
- Has chapters on disadvantaged kids due to learning disorders as well as special environmental situations (such as divorce, when time is spent between two homes)
- Gives helpful worksheets such as a goal planning sheet, essay outline, time management sheet, and supply lists.

That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week is a valuable resources for parents and home educators of boys….of all ages.

Meg Wilson is a devoted wife to her husband, Ken, of 10 years, and mom and homeschooling teacher to her 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. When she’s not writing or creating something, Meg loves to cook for, host and entertain friends and family. She also enjoys reading, the outdoors, eclectic music, yoga, and studying history. You can read all about her adventures (and misadventures) at her blog, Muses of Megret and read her product reviews at Muse Reviews.

photo credit: Flickr