Impulse control resources In the last couple months I've come to realize how utterly destructive my eldest son's lack of impulse control is.  It is preventing him from learning, it is preventing him from being included in his class (he can't stand to wait), and it is preventing him from enjoying activities he likes (for example if new snow makes the sledding hill too slow on the first run, his impulse is to walk away in anger). Today I found a teacher's blog with a lesson in self-control for his mainstream jr. high class, but also has some simpler strategies: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/10/22/i-like-this-les son-because-it-make-me-have-a-longer-temper-part-one/ His blog links to an entertaining video about research on self-control in 4 year olds.  Definitely worth watching.  Six minutes long, flew by. http://www.ted.com/talks/joachim_de_posada_says_don_t_eat_th e_marshmallow_yet.html In a related blog, he wrote about research that shows that self-control is a limited resource which actually uses up more glucose and makes you more likely to give up when faced with a complicated task later. http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2010/03/17/self-control-as -a-limited-energy-resource-in-the-classroom/ My son does have fairly good self-control.  He doesn't blurt out his every thought, for example.  But it could be that he's at his self-control limit, and it's keeping him from doing more complicated work at school.  He's only able to do work at his level of mastery -- refuses any challenges. If anyone else has good ideas or links on this topic let me know!
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