7 year old boys. Are they normally forgetful?

[ghosty]

Is it a phase?

DS is becoming increasingly forgetful ... or maybe it seems so because I am beginning to make him take a bit more responsibility that I am noticing how forgetful he is.

He stayed with friends last week for 2 nights and they said he was a "... joy to have, a treasure! But isn't he forgetful?" Cue stories of forgotten lunch money, forgotten library books, soccer bag left behind etc.

Today he carried his school bag and swimming bag into school. He hung them up on pegs next to eachother (I saw him do this)
This afternoon he came out of school and burst into tears saying I forgot to remind him to take his swimming bag into school and he had to sit and watch the other children swim. We went into school and his swimming bag was right there, where he hung it up this morning! What's that all about?
(he wasn't trying to get out of swimming - he loves it, his favourite part of the day)

In the words of my mother, "He would lose his head if it wasn't fixed on ..."

Is this normal development? Do i continue to get him to learn the consequences of his forgetfulness (ie missing swimming) or do I take a bit more control back so that he doesn't end up forgetting stuff because I have remembered .... but if I did that, when would it end???

ooooh have just remembered I was going to do a timetable and list for my ds - that's a job for the weekend I think!

It's hard to say. I've one that forgets what he's going to do within seconds of being asked and another with the memory of an elephant.

my dc's are the same and actually so am i. sorry to be such a cliche, but have you tried the fish oil/eye-q/omega 3/6 whatever, i started getting them for the dc's and now we are all on them! they do help. (and with moods as well)
i don't know if it's normal or not, probably is, there's a lot going on in the minds at that age isn't there.

ghosty, I have the same ds. Mine is 6 and is so forgetful that if I don't tell him to take his pj's off, he will put his clothes on over them!!!! I have developed a set of systems that I hope will try to help him cope with life given that he will not have his mummy around forever to remind him to do things.
I try to give him the minimum amount of separate things to take to school so he just doesn't have too much to remember. For example, he has the option of buying his milk at school, so I let him do that instead of giving him a thermos, so he has one less thing to keep track of. And everything goes into one backpack. I also try to give him the same thing everyday, (ie I give him a long sleeve shirt even when it's too warm for him to need one, so he doesn't get out of the habit of having to remember it). I try to set up patterns of things to do and always have him do them in the same order, so that they become habit rather than something he has to remember. eg, get up, get dressed, put shoes on, make bed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, collect backpack, leave house. Come home, do homework, wash hands, eat dinner, put pj's on, brush teeth, read book, go to bed. I also try to stick to the routines on the weekend as well, even if there is no reason to get dressed before breakfast....I never give ds more than a list of two or three tasks to do. He just won't remember them. Funnily enough ds remembers obscure scientific facts and things I told him years ago. My father and my brother are exactly the same way, so I have no hope of it being a "phase."

A 'Checklist' has gone on the wall by the front door.

What he needs in his bag under headings: Everyday: Lunch, drink bottle, reading bag, Homework
Monday Swimming togs
Tuesday swimming togs
Wednesday Swimming togs/Soccer kit
Thursday Drama gear
Friday Library bag

It's worked quite well this week It has got a clipart picture/symbol next to each item too ... visual aid ...

Sorry but my nephew is 11 now and still is forgets everything! Unless its to do with football.

Yes, 7 year old boys are often forgetful.

My 7 year old ds forgot that it was not ok to attempt to cut his own hair.

And now has a very tragic looking fringe...