For some reason my dd is against capitalizing on her homework and class work. Last year she never "remembered" to capitalize the first letter in sentences, proper names and even her own name! This year she is doing the same thing. I just looked through her school work from the past week and she got a C on one paper and a D on the other just because of capitalization. The answers were correct but she didn't capitalize! It's so aggravating. I really think she is lazy and tries to get it done fast, and doesn't worry if it's done right. I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do, short of ringing her neck, to get her to CAPITALIZE! She's in 4th grade, she should know this by now.

I have had her write her homework all over again with capitalizing, that didn't really work. I remind her over and over again. But still she does not do it. I'm so frustrated. I'm thinking of not letting her watch t.v. after school until she starts doing it right. But i'm not sure that will help either.

Her teacher even takes a point off if she doesn't put the date and name on both sides of the paper

Any thoughts, suggestions?

By Insaneusmcwife on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 01:31 am:

I had trouble with ds rushing though his homework and chores so that he could play his video games, watch tv or go play outside. Now video games are limited to the weekends. After homework and chores are done to my satisfaction they are allowed to go play outside or watch tv. until dinner time an then we make dinner together,set the table, clean up and start bed time rituals. I sit down at the table, eraser in hand, with the kids while they are doing their homework. I have no problem erasing everything and making them do it again. And they know it. Good luck.

By Luvn29 on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 09:55 am:

I check my kids' homework right after they finish every night. If it isn't right, I erase what's wrong, and make them redo it. Right then. Maybe after doing this for a little while, she'll see she is just wasting time by rushing through it.

By Happynerdmom on Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 11:41 am:

Well, it may be at the point where she just needs to feel the natural consequences. You've nagged and nagged, she's old enough to do it on her own, and she doesn't have any special needs, so if it were me, I'd sit her down and have one final chat about how important it is, then let it go. Hopefully, she will start feeling the sting of all those points being taken off, and correct her own behavior. Good luck!

By Annie2 on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 09:18 am:

I've been thinking about this for a few days.
What I would do is make a "template" for her assignments. Have your dd take a blank page and write what she has to put on there each day...name, date, etc.
Then write a sentence using caps and underline them with a bright marker.
When she does her homework have her look at the page and see what it is supposed to look like when she turns it in to her teacher.
She may only need a small reminder when she is at home what her work should look like so no demerits are taken off.
This will pass.
My dd had points taken off of her work around the same age because she could not write in cursive.
She still can't write in cursive. However she is a straight A student...maybe she'll be a doctor?!
We all know how well drs write out their Rx's!

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 03:37 pm:

LOL @ Annie. Our doctors rarely "write" prescriptions anymore, since we went to computerized records. The scripts are printed on the laser printer now, on tamper-proof paper. If the paper is xeroxed or copied, the copy says "void" all over it.

You have good ideas, Annie.