Stress response or discipline issue?

[PamE]

I'm at a loss here. Ds1 has been having trouble with the giggles while I work on time telling with him and dd2. (Background on ds1 - adhd, developmental delays, processing disorders, etc) I'm having trouble figuring out if this is a stress response to not being sure of the answer, or if it's a discipline issue.

Today I've been treating it as a discipline issue, but I don't think he understands. He came to me a minute ago (on our break time) and said that he couldn't stop his giggling, no matter what he tried. I explained that on break he could laugh, giggle, talk, play, etc. with no problem, but while we were trying to do schoolwork that he needed to control himself.

This has been going on for a few days and usually only while we're doing work with the clock.

How do I discern between the two? Either way, I need to stop the giggling or eliminate the stress for him.

[BevJ]

Sounds to me like he doesn't understand, and only because you said...

This has been going on for a few days and usually only while we're doing work with the clock.

I would think if it was a discipline issue, he'd be giggling all of the time. Learning to tell time can even be frustrating and time-consuming to children who aren't struggling with issues as your ds does.

Do you know how you'd handle the situation if it is not a discipline issue? I'm not sure I have advice for you...I can just offer what the issue sounds like to me. Good luck.

[AnnW]

I am honestly not sure which it is. But is it terribly disruptive to have him giggle? Could you try ignoring it and see what happens?

[MaryL]

Does it happen when you work with him one on one? If it's a stress issue...maybe he's feeling pressured to learn at the same pace as your dd.

If it's a discipline issue...I'd remove him from the lesson, and invite him to return when he can "pull it together". It may mean that he has to continue working when the others are done...but it does show that the giggles didn't stop you from conducting the lesson.

It's hard to know if it's a discipline issue or not, though. Sorry I'm not much help.

[PamE]

The more I think it over and analyze it all it does seem like stress. It really wouldn't be a big deal here at home, but I've been trying to conduct things more like a classroom this summer so he'd not start any bad habits his teachers would have to remove. It's probably not all that big of a deal aside from that (which is a big fat hairy deal, right, lol?!).

I think tomorrow I'll work with them one on one instead of together with the clock. It does seem to be the only time this is a problem.