I need ideas to help my 8yo son?

I really like Alzo's approach. I agree that it's important for kids to take the responsibility for getting their work done. If you see the value in some written math practice, (I do) I would limit the time he spends on a worksheet to like 10 or 15 minutes, but he has to be actually working on it. If he does that, then move on to a computer game or other more preferred way of practicing & learning math concepts. The other thing is that written out math doesn't have to be drill and practice based. Here is a site with dice games, probability, addition, patterns, multiples, geometry, etc, where the child would be rolling dice, building geometric shapes or other hands on lessons, but recording their problems/solutions:

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/LPview.cgi?grade=3

Scroll down to the math section. It's aimed at teachers but there is no reason your son couldn't enjoy and learn a lot from the lessons. Just change them up for home. That's what I've done.

Here are some online games and games to make/play:

http://www.free-training-tutorial.com/math-games.h...

http://www.dr-mikes-math-games-for-kids.com/third-...

http://www.abcya.com/third_grade_computers.htm

I just picked the third grade sections of each site, but the sites have other grade levels too.

Only have him do a worksheet once a week. Just let him to the math with the blocks. Remember, the important thing is that he learns the math, not that he does the worksheets.

You could have him do some Switched-on-Schoolhouse math on the computer. That will automatically track and grade his work. Otherwise, just ask him what he did on the computer, and write what he tells you. You don't have to have grades or records of every last detail.

My Father's World is a curriculum that does away with unnecessary worksheets. The writer knows that children hate doing worksheets. Worksheets were developed so teachers in public schools could use them to see if the children knew how to do the lessons. When you homeschool, you can evaluate that in different ways.

I agree with UnschoolingMom. If worksheets are just holding him back, why do them? There are plenty of other ways for him to practice math. Worksheets are not a must.

Computer math games are probably your best bet. You can check him work to make sure he's doing well and he can have fun at the same time.

Other ways are to have him use math in real life situations. Helping you do the grocery shopping on a budget, cooking, using time and schedules to get things done. Take your real life and show him how math applies to it everyday.

Worksheets seem to be a waste of time and effort for you both. Throw them out! Have fun and learn at the same time. :)

Why are you making him write things down and do worksheets if it is clearly not working? If you already know he has the knowledge than move forward with something else. have you tried some computer math games. Something fun and hands on. My Daughter refuses to do the worksheets, but I just allow her to do the computer math games. She is also 8 years old.

Though I have no idea what grade he is in, I studyed the Math It series and that cover addition though multiplication. They are flash cards and you can do them in under 20 minutes. Actually, the system puts the child on a time limit (20 cards in a minute) You can also give him treats for completing the challenge in time. (Candy? Ice Cream? A dollar bill?)

All the other answers provide valuable and helpful information, but I wanted to throw in my two cents.

My 11-year-old son had the same trouble with ANY math page. He would argue, "Mom, I already know how to divide, so why do I have to divide anymore?"

I read a book by Sonya Haskins, "Homeschooling for the Rest of Us," and found out one thing that helped me immensely in dealing with my son. As parents our responsibility is to teach our children and provide them with the necessary materials to do so. BUT...the responsibility TO LEARN is on them. We cannot open up their brains and put the information inside, we cannot take their hands in ours and make the pencil move any faster, neither is nagging, punishing, getting upset, etc., and so on, going to make them go any faster if they really don't want to.

LOL, I just remembered one time he got a math sheet done in record time (and correctly, too) because I told him as soon as he finished, we would go a certain place he really wanted to go. That was proof enough he could do it in the allotted time with no problem.

However, when I told him the above information about what was my responsibility and what was HIS responsibility, he eyes got kinda big, but he fully understood. He is required to finish the assignment before he can leave the table. I already know he can do it, and, of course, if he has trouble, I am there to assist.

I do think the suggestions in the other answers are really good and workable, but I wanted to share my experience in dealing with my son's serious lagging and foot-dragging in completing math. And like your son, he's clever enough to get it, he just doesn't want to do it. When I made plain to him that it is his responsibility to learn, not mine, he really changed. He does his work much more quickly now. I do have to remind him from time to time, but it certainly is not like it was before.

I hope this helps whatever math teaching method you use. It really helped me.