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Is there a problem with my 5yr old?

7 replies

hillyhilly · 01/12/2012 22:27

He's just such a handful that I wonder if everything's ok with him or whether there is some kind of a problem. I'll do a slightly random list and would appreciate any advice please.
*He torments his sister (7), she then hits him and gets into trouble (I do try to make sure I'm fair but its not easy)

  • he hugs anybody - random strangers, people he's just met, his sisters friends or his own friends at school EVERY day despite daily conversations and reminders that we cuddle our family only
  • he still occasionally gropes my friends breasts (for a response which of course he gets)
  • he started school in sept and is behaving really well there
  • he is reading and doing maths with y1 kids as he is working at their level. However, he can't decide which hand to write with and can barely draw a stick man
  • today, we had a lovely day planned but I spend so much of it directing, instructing and telling him off that it genuinely does impact in what we do. We went to the cinema (extremely rare for him) but most trips are the same, don't touch that, come back here, sit down, stop hitting, stop jumping, stop weaving about in front of me - I'm going to trip over you, don't go in the lift, step off the escalator, don't fiddle with the machine in the loo, leave that, put it down.
  • School have a gross motor skills club that he's participating in to help with his fine motor skills and he obviously can behave well but should I be concerned? He is also very funny, loving, not a whinger, very bright, loves to spend time on the computer or iPad. He responds well to firm instructions and rules but also finds opportunities to muck about in everything that we do. I do think he probably is just being a lively normal five year old but he really can be such hard work sometimes that I do wonder. We regularly do reward charts and sanctions but I often feel like I spend all day threatening to take things off him (I always see threats through) just to get a level of behaviour from him) I guess I'm just tired if it, I wish he were easier.
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LilyThePinkaPinkaPink · 01/12/2012 22:29

He sounds like my son, who is fine, if spirited!
123 Magic by Tom Phelan is your friend!

cornflowers · 01/12/2012 22:52

Yes, he sounds pretty normal to me :)

harryhausen · 01/12/2012 23:25

Yep. Totally normal. My 5 yr old DS is the same. He also spends most of his time working out ways to torment (and yet impress my 8 yr old DD).

Hard work isn't itGrin

Flojo1979 · 01/12/2012 23:29

If u are thinking along the ASD route then its unlikely without delayed speech.
He sounds like a live wire but nothing more.

hillyhilly · 02/12/2012 20:32

Thanks all for the reassurance, I do generally think "live-wire" but just occasionally get a bit down, usually when I have been disappointed that something I'd planned didn't work out because it didn't suit him (which is why he doesn't go to panto/ plays/ cinema often).
Today we met a lovely man who said that at least he can learn to turn a big personality down a bit, which made me feel rather better.

OP posts:
Fuzzymum1 · 02/12/2012 20:49

"If u are thinking along the ASD route then its unlikely without delayed speech."

Not unheard of though, My 14yo DS was speaking in full sentences at 18 months and holding full conversations at two. He has a diagnosis of Asperger's.

Flojo1979 · 02/12/2012 21:04

True fuzzy not unheard of. I'm guessing he wasn't diagnosed til much older then (since he didn't tick the usual boxes) ?

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