What to do with the competitive child?

[Brandie]

We'll be HSing for the 1st time this year. My 10 yr old dd is extremely advanced and loves the recognition she's been getting at school, ie. awards, contests, etc. She's complaining about how she won't have that anymore and no matter how many times I tell her I'll personally give it to her, she still says, "But of course you will. you're my Mom!" So how do you HS a child who thrives off of recognition? Now, my daughter is very humble, actually, and never boasts about her achievements, but I know it means a lot to her to hear her teachers praise her. Anyone else with this problem? Thanks!

[frogguruami]

You could set up a star system and let them earn stars or point towards outings, new books etc.

You can also register with Pizza Hut's Book It program and they can earn the same free pizzas the PS kids get.

We try to do a lot of visual representations of what we have done. We keep a paper chain with each book they have read on each link so they can see is grow as the year progresses. We put push pins in our globe for every place we study so the can see the number increase.

AM

[Ramona]

A 10-y-o is just about the age to start entering all the national contests, which do allow homeschooled kids with various differences in their individual rules. For some of them you have to have a group of local homeschoolers, for some of them you may have to participate through the local public school. My kids have loved the National Spelling Bee and National Geography Bee and locally have been those "famous" homeschooled kids who beat everybody else. There are MathCounts, Science Bowl, and many other contests in every subject. Then you can look for local contests for her to participate in too. For instance, a university math department in our area has an annual math contest just for this state.

Ramona

[ScottHughes]

I agree with the idea of entering her in contests. Also, you may be able to find a website online that will her to learn and take quizzes, where there are high-scores that she could try for.