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I need a gadget...
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Paco500
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Jul 12, 2010, 04:14 PM
 
So here's the deal. My 9 yo son has a very difficult time keeping track of his schedule. At school, he breaks out of his normal lessons for other activities, including riding, music, and latin. He's supposed to keep track of his own schedule, but he's his dad's son, very ADD, and regularly forgets. We got him a watch, but that really doesn't help. As the breakouts are at different times on different days, a watch with multiple alarms doesn't help much either as I've not been able to find one that was not designed primarily to remind the wearer to take medicine- same time each day.

A PDA would work in concept, but he would play with it or loose it. I need something somewhat sturdy, that can't be accused of being a toy, that would allow for different alarms at different times on different days. Ideally, he would wear as opposed to carrying it.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

And before you ask, ideally the school should be helping him, but they are big believers in self-reliance. I like so much else about the school I'm not willing to part with them over this.
     
SSharon
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Jul 12, 2010, 04:19 PM
 
I understand that it might not be practical for a 9 year old, but maybe it is something to keep in mind for the future. When I was in university I set up iCal on my desktop so that the alarms would trigger an email and I had the email be the address for my cell phone so it was received as a simple text message. This let me easily set up recurring alarms, the only catch was I needed to have my desktop connected to the internet and awake.
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ajprice
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Jul 12, 2010, 04:28 PM
 
I think iPod nano has multiple alarms, its not wearable though unless he walks round all day with the iPod armband on.

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 12, 2010, 04:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by SSharon View Post
I understand that it might not be practical for a 9 year old, but maybe it is something to keep in mind for the future. When I was in university I set up iCal on my desktop so that the alarms would trigger an email and I had the email be the address for my cell phone so it was received as a simple text message. This let me easily set up recurring alarms, the only catch was I needed to have my desktop connected to the internet and awake.
Sadly, the phone would be forbidden.
     
ort888
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Jul 12, 2010, 04:56 PM
 
You need one of these...

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
-Q-
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Jul 12, 2010, 05:06 PM
 
     
Laminar
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Jul 12, 2010, 05:21 PM
 
I was the same way, still am sometimes. I'd miss busses, classes, homework, reports. Always forgetting/missing stuff turned into a phobia for me, and I'll sometimes pop awake an hour before my alarm goes off afraid that I've slept in and missed something important.
     
mduell
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Jul 12, 2010, 05:48 PM
 
A beeper. No, seriusly. That and some automated service to text him.
     
Atheist
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Jul 12, 2010, 06:41 PM
 
Whatever happened to being a kid?

That said, I like the beeper idea.
     
cjrivera
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Jul 12, 2010, 06:53 PM
 
Could you set alarms in iCal to go off and email a pager?
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ghporter
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Jul 12, 2010, 07:54 PM
 
The Big Ugly Block Schedule Taped To The Binder works pretty well. It's simple, it's cheap, and it puts the onus of paying attention to his schedule on him-where it belongs, frankly. Learning those coping skills starts with practicing them. With the Big Ugly Block Schedule, he only has to remember what day it is.

I recommend this exact technique to the parents of my patients with ADD because it works and helps the person develop independence.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
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Jul 12, 2010, 09:56 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
The Big Ugly Block Schedule Taped To The Binder works pretty well. It's simple, it's cheap, and it puts the onus of paying attention to his schedule on him-where it belongs, frankly. Learning those coping skills starts with practicing them. With the Big Ugly Block Schedule, he only has to remember what day it is.

I recommend this exact technique to the parents of my patients with ADD because it works and helps the person develop independence.
I did this, and it works. When I was little though, my folks color coded the days, and had me wear that color a bracelet to help remind me the day.
     
downinflames68
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Jul 13, 2010, 12:30 AM
 
Nothing will work. I've tried everything.
     
brassplayersrock²
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Jul 13, 2010, 12:55 AM
 
Not everyone is the same as you...
     
Big Mac
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Jul 13, 2010, 04:01 AM
 
Originally Posted by downinflames68 View Post
Nothing will work. I've tried everything.
You're Paco's 9 year-old son?

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 06:37 AM
 
Originally Posted by -Q- View Post
I immediately thought of one of those, but haven't been able to find one under $200- a bit much to pay for something with no warranty, no hope of getting repaired, etc.

It's also huge. My son is not. Having that on his wrist would move straight past silly to absurd.

A MS Spot watch would be perfect. If they still made them and they had ever worked in the UK.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 06:40 AM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
Whatever happened to being a kid?

That said, I like the beeper idea.
It's a tradeoff. The school demands a lot from him, but he also has at least 2 hours a day of unstructured play on amazing grounds, with a lake, trees, hedges and green, open spaces. It's the best school we've seen for letting kids be kids.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 06:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
The Big Ugly Block Schedule Taped To The Binder works pretty well. It's simple, it's cheap, and it puts the onus of paying attention to his schedule on him-where it belongs, frankly. Learning those coping skills starts with practicing them. With the Big Ugly Block Schedule, he only has to remember what day it is.

I recommend this exact technique to the parents of my patients with ADD because it works and helps the person develop independence.
That's what he has now and it hasn't worked for a year. Almost all of his breakouts are in the middle of regular lessons, so it's not a case of looking at a schedule and seeing where he should go next. Also, some of these breakouts happen during a break or athletics/games when he would not have a binder with him. Good suggestion though.

To be fair, he gets it right about 75% or more of the time. We just would like to find a way to make it to 100%.
     
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Jul 13, 2010, 07:59 AM
 
I don't have a smartphone, but even my old RAZR can sync the schedule from a computer and signal me when I need to be in a meeting. Are all phones banned, or just phones over a certain level of specification?
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
ghporter
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Jul 13, 2010, 08:31 AM
 
Originally Posted by Paco500 View Post
That's what he has now and it hasn't worked for a year. Almost all of his breakouts are in the middle of regular lessons, so it's not a case of looking at a schedule and seeing where he should go next. Also, some of these breakouts happen during a break or athletics/games when he would not have a binder with him. Good suggestion though.

To be fair, he gets it right about 75% or more of the time. We just would like to find a way to make it to 100%.
Do any other students have similar schedules? How are they handling theirs? Do the instructors help anyone with this sort of thing? I can remember being a camp counselor and having to remind specific campers about their schedules during my activities; my campers were 10 and 11 years old.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
Whatever happened to being a kid?
This.

Are we really discussing how to better manage a 9-year-old's daily schedule? Are we discussing the merits of an iPhone or beeper to stop him from "breaking from" his schedule 25% of the time?

It's a cruel world out there I guess. And there's no better time to learn how to effectively manage it than before you turn 10 years old.

greg
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The Final Dakar
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:14 AM
 
Call me crazy, but is there a particular reason why the teachers don't want to help here?
     
Doofy
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by Paco500 View Post
Does anyone have any thoughts?
You've already stated that he breaks lessons while doing sports, so a watch is the only thing possible. And since there's different schedules required for each day, the solution is multiple multi-alarm watches - one for each day. Some cheap Casios do that kind of thing, don't they?
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Doofy
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:27 AM
 
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar View Post
Call me crazy, but is there a particular reason why the teachers don't want to help here?
Since Latin and horse-riding are on the cards, I'm guessing it's an extremely posh place, maybe even a boarding school. And they don't molly-coddle at these places.
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:41 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Do any other students have similar schedules? How are they handling theirs? Do the instructors help anyone with this sort of thing? I can remember being a camp counselor and having to remind specific campers about their schedules during my activities; my campers were 10 and 11 years old.
No, no other boys in his class have his exact schedule. There are others that have other breakouts at other times, and they are much better at getting where they need to go. My son truly has difficulties keeping track of all manner of things.

The schools makes it quite clear that it is up to the students to get where they need to go, however, teachers will remind kids to get places if they remember it it or even know about it.

The school really does tiptoe on the edge of chaos, but in a good way. The schedule is somewhat flexible. If it's a nice day, they may skip a normal lesson and go for a walk in the woods. If the weather is crap, they may skip cricket and read a book. They might chuck the afternoon's schedule and go fishing. The teacher he has at one time slot on one week may be doing something else the next. His extras schedule may change one week because the ponies are at a show.

The kids are supposed to know where they need to be when, and most of them do it pretty well.

I'm not worried because he is getting in trouble, but because it really bothers him if his misses something. Especially riding, which is the most fluid. I want to help him.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
Since Latin and horse-riding are on the cards, I'm guessing it's an extremely posh place, maybe even a boarding school. And they don't molly-coddle at these places.
Private, and yes there is boarding (my son doesn't), but not that posh. The state school in the area is completely crap, which is why we are paying. We love the school. They don't molly-coddle, but it's not particularly harsh either. It's a good place to be a kid.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:46 AM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
You've already stated that he breaks lessons while doing sports, so a watch is the only thing possible. And since there's different schedules required for each day, the solution is multiple multi-alarm watches - one for each day. Some cheap Casios do that kind of thing, don't they?
Brilliantly simple! Why had I not thought of that! Thanks- great solution.
     
Doofy
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:53 AM
 
Originally Posted by Paco500 View Post
Private, and yes there is boarding (my son doesn't), but not that posh. The state school in the area is completely crap, which is why we are paying. We love the school. They don't molly-coddle, but it's not particularly harsh either. It's a good place to be a kid.
I hear ya.

Originally Posted by Paco500 View Post
Brilliantly simple! Why had I not thought of that!
Simple solutions require simple minds. And that's my speciality.
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Paco500  (op)
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Jul 13, 2010, 09:56 AM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
This.

Are we really discussing how to better manage a 9-year-old's daily schedule? Are we discussing the merits of an iPhone or beeper to stop him from "breaking from" his schedule 25% of the time?

It's a cruel world out there I guess. And there's no better time to learn how to effectively manage it than before you turn 10 years old.

greg
It's hard to explain- but we choose this school because it lets kids be kids. Health and safely are barley acknowledged. They are allowed to climb trees, play in the river (it's a pretty piddly river), they have open flames at school events, they shoot, fish, ride horses and compete in rough games and there are actual winners.

But they also give the kids responsibility and it works out pretty well most of the time.
     
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Jul 13, 2010, 10:59 AM
 
… the solution is multiple multi-alarm watches - one for each day. Some cheap Casios do that kind of thing, don't they?
They are allowed to climb trees, play in the river (it's a pretty piddly river), they have open flames at school events, they shoot, fish, ride horses and compete in rough games and there are actual winners.
It better be a G-SHOCK model.
     
SSharon
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Jul 13, 2010, 03:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
You've already stated that he breaks lessons while doing sports, so a watch is the only thing possible. And since there's different schedules required for each day, the solution is multiple multi-alarm watches - one for each day. Some cheap Casios do that kind of thing, don't they?
This reminds me of exactly a year ago when the instructor in my bar review course would wear two casio watches on his wrist to keep track of when our breaks were.

The only other option I can think of is to wear a necklace with a pad of paper attached with the schedule. I know a girl who was struck by lightning who does this because her short term memory is all but useless.
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ghporter
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Jul 13, 2010, 05:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by Paco500 View Post
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
You've already stated that he breaks lessons while doing sports, so a watch is the only thing possible. And since there's different schedules required for each day, the solution is multiple multi-alarm watches - one for each day. Some cheap Casios do that kind of thing, don't they?
Brilliantly simple! Why had I not thought of that! Thanks- great solution.
The term is "elegant." And it is. Different color watch bands could help keep track of which one is for which day, too. Further, your son can be very involved in the whole process of setting alarms and making sure he gets the right watch each day, aiding both his timeliness and his sense of independence.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
   
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