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AIBU?

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AIBU to worry about behaviour in my child's mixed Year 1 class?

3 replies

SMLSML · 15/09/2026 20:41

My eldest has just started year one in a mixed class of year ones and twos. Her previous reception class was only 15 pupils so it's been a bit of an adjustment. Since going back she's been fairly upset with some of the older kids in her class where their behaviour isn't what she is used to.

For context, she's a very grown up 5 year old, she always has been and is fairly sensitive but it's just her nature. I'm finding it hard to know what to say when she asks why they don't listen and behave badly 😅 I do feel for the teachers for sure as it must be so difficult to manage a group of 30 kids. She literally went this evening 'I don't understand, the year 2's are meant to show us how to learn and not be distracting us' 🫠🫠 how do you respond to that? She kept saying how they shout out and don't listen, they have a boy in the class who has been grabbing her again (this was an issue last year) and shoving his water bottle at kids too. I've repeatedly told her she needs to tell him very clearly and loudly 'no I don't want you to touch me' and tell the teachers straight away which she has been doing but it's not changing.

Says when she tells the teachers they say to ignore it and that they're working on it 🫠 I know they have to become resilient but equally it's just frustrating as it's not SEN kids, it's their literal behaviour 🙃🙃 sorry I know it's not PC of me but it's so tricky when she gets teary over it and worrying about going to school 🫠 not sure what I can say as don't want to tell her to just get on with it when it's clearly bothering her 🥺 any advice would be so welcome!

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runnerducky · 15/09/2026 20:51

I just say to my own kids that everyone learns things at a different rate and what comes easily to one person, such as sitting and listening, doesn’t always come easily to someone else. Everyone’s brain works differently. Likewise there will be things that your child struggles with that others will find easy. One day someone else’s child might say those kind of things about yours! So it’s just about modelling that people are all different and everyone has stuff that they take longer to learn or get to grips with.

If she is upset about the touching then you should escalate it with the teacher as that shouldn’t be continuing.

Timetotakepart · 15/09/2026 20:47

Have you actually spoken to your child's teacher about this? Please don't think I'm being judgemental for asking, I'm not.

zipitpls · 15/09/2026 20:44

Well, obviously the sort of behaviour directly towards her needs dealing with but honestly, without wanting to sound like a complete idiot here I would use the others as a bit of a talking point.

Why might some children find it harder to listen than others? It’s a good starting point. And another one is ‘but today they might be different.’ HT at my last school used to use that as a sort of reminder not to label children - I don’t mean autism etc but ‘oh it’s Alfie, oh no, Jayden Jones is in my class.’ Blank slate.