[camperjen]

My younger son is a pain when it comes to most things that look like work. Ugh, I could tear my hair out sometimes, it can be so frustrating. I found what works best - and you may have tried this in your own way - is to make him feel like he's choosing stuff. So instead of me coming into the room and saying, "Come ON, it's time to ___. I warned you, now please get to work", I look at the time and choose a conservative time frame and say, "It's 10:20. I need you to ____. Would you please get up at 10:23 and do that chore?" He'll ask for 10:30 and I will approve - because I've already decided it is within my reasonable time frame (and my suggestion will purposely be inside that time frame so I can look like I'm giving in a bit). Could you switch it up so the two biggers get started on something that feels responsible (just not chores lol) that the littles couldn't or wouldn't be allowed to do? Could they get started on classwork and then do chores before lunch or some other time?

This sounds so crazy, but I found that if I allow N five minutes - and it only takes five! - of iPad playing first thing in the morning, it kinda wakes him up and he's ready to move. It felt so counter-intuitive - I wanted him to *earn* the pad by doing what he needed first, but then I realized what he needed was something different.

Good luck - it can be SO frustrating putting things together and figuring out what works while trying what feels like 100 ways that didn't work.