Very reluctant learner in Reception - not sure what I should be doing?

[affinia]

I have 3 DC. DS1 is very academic, needed no help learning to read etc, wants to learn all the time, whether academic stuff or extra curricular, sport etc. Other than sitting with him with homework early on and answering his many many questions, buying books he'd be interested in, we haven't been active in his learning at all.

DS2 turned 5 two months ago and has NO interest in learning anything! He recognises 9 letters and counts to 16 reliably. He understands the 20's, 30's, 40's, hundreds etc but isn't interested enough or can't really be bothered to remember them!

I'm a very unpushy mum but am feeling like some intervention is needed but am unsure what I can do? We read every night but he is far far from being able to read a single word. If I so much as mention a letter or number he changes the subject immediately eg. me:'look that spaghetti looks like an O', DS2: 'I'm a ninja turtle raaaaar'.

Is there anything I should/could be doing at home? Am I justified in asking to speak to the teacher at this stage?

[BrianTheMole]

Marking my place, as my ds is exactly like this!

[hells456]

I have no advice whatsoever, but I have to say that your son sounds adorable!

[brettgirl2]

I think definitely if you are worried ask for an appointment with his teacher.

[lljkk]

Most kids are fascinated with the letters in own name, esp. first letter. I would think to point out words that start with his same letter. Count things like sweets or chips in a chocolate chip cookie. Keep it fun.

Agree he sounds lovely :).

[affinia]

Thanks so much for the quick replies. Yes he is very lovely and absolutely hilarious. Counting choc chips in cookies or smartie's in mummy's tummy is absolutely the kind of thing I do and it goes exactly like this...me: 'hmmm how many smarties can I fit in my tummy, bet it's loads 1, 2, 3' DS2: (big sigh) I'd like our next baby to be a girl, a girl called muppet, do you remember how BIG your tummy was, big fat tummy then pop, mummy where would the baby fit with all the smarties?' End of discussion.

He smells a rat with all these 'games' which DS1 lapped up to the point I found it ever so slightly annoying to have to count or turn things into letters all the time. He played Reading Eggs as a friend's house but at the end sighed and said, 'that was just like school, wouldn't want to play that again'.

[MadamNoo]

It's reception, and he's only just 5. My ds3 was like this, apparently aware when he felt he might be being 'taught' something and keen to change the subject, he would never count the stairs going up with me or any of those 'fun' ways you're supposed to sneak in numbers and letters. But I felt I could be chilled about it because ds1, now doing very well indeed in Y6, didn't even start school til Y1. I thought of Reception as a bonus year of getting used to school. Sure enough, now in Y1 he has clicked (partly because he adores his pretty teacher) and is telling me all about phonics and counting backwards in tens or whatever they've done in the day. Personally I would relax for now, read stories with him and let him be ready.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

I think I would ask the teacher what he is like in school. I would bet money that he is happily learning away at school and just doesn't want to do it at home too. They are often completely different in how they approach time in the classroom and time at home.