That's my oldest kid. He's still completely resistant to anything that doesn't come naturally or easily.

I was like that, too. The first time I ever had to actually study something in math -- meaning, I didn't understand it in class, so I had to go home and read through the book and work on practice problems until I figured it out -- was second semester of freshman year in college, and it was hell trying to learn how to learn at that age. (It also involved me, in tears, calling my mother, quite a few times. That didn't always go so well. Me: "I don't understand it, and I keep looking at it and I can't figure it out! Waaaaah!" Mom, confused: "But, you're good at math." Me, nearly hysterical: "You're not helping!!!!!!!!") I ended up figuring out that what worked best for me was trying to memorize the proofs -- the proofs were all too long to directly memorize, so the only way to get them solid in my head was the break them down and figure out the logic linking the different parts together. Then once I got that, I figured out that I could skip the memorizing step and just go right to breaking apart the logic.

I keep wanting to go try taking a chemistry class again, since I know that the reason I gave up on chemistry was that I didn't understand it immediately and I didn't know what to do with that.

I'm really glad I had that experience my junior year of high school, because it was really a shock, and a good lesson. Also, he graded on the curve, so I still got good grades, even after not getting everything.

Kristin, thanks for sharing that article! Totally fascinating, and makes a lot of sense.

Allyson, holy shit, that's a lot to deal with all at once.

Allyson, I'm sorry, I didn't see that I'd crossposted until I got home. Good heavens, that's a lot of upsetting in one go! ~ma to everyone who needs it!

My mom used to call me "Miss Scarlett" when I got like that, JZ. And I wouldn't get anything if I asked liked that.(She didn't want me playing the, you know, SPED card. Because my asthmatic dad was such the Special Snowflake that he still doesn't play with others.

Oh Christ, Allyson. I'm so sorry.

Much ~ma to your entire family.

I bookmarked Kristin's article, because it's too late for me to read anything requiring too much thinking right now. I know for sure that I would do worse today than I did at 10 or 11 on and IQ test my mother's colleague did on me for practice. If I recall, a lot of it had to do with memory and visualization, and both of those things are deteriorating in my, sad, formerly brilliant but eternally lazy, little brain. I do look forward to the article.

Accomplished a couple of onerous tasks today. Yay.

That's a lot of crap right there, Allyson. Directing some coping and dealing thoughts towards Boston.

I was going to "Yay!" something, but I've forgotten. See first paragraph re: deteriorating memory.

Oh, wait, now I remember.

Happy Birthday Calli and Burrell!

I only read the one about praising (or not) intelligence over effort, but I want to go back and read the others. IQ has always fascinated me.

Allyson, are your parents okay with having them there for a while?

I can say without reading it that I was too often praised for something pretty much out of my control - intelligence - and not for effort, because I was lazy as shit, but no one really noticed, I guess. God, how I wish I had noticed! Before, like, thirty-five. Effort and self-discipline, my holy grails. (You can have two, right? Oh, hell, I've got several more!)