hi, am newbie here, sorry for long post. is also on primary education, as wasn't sure where best to ask for help.
my eldest son, Christian, started school in August. They have a system of golden time and traffic lights (they start on a greeen light, bad behaviour gets a warning and an amber light, further bad behaviour goes to red light and a loss of golden time, but each day they start again at green).
Christian today was a bit upset getting ready and said he didn't want to go to school EVER (!), eventually it turned out that was because he had lost golden time (he has had 2 red lights this week, so has lost 10mins of golden time) and was quite upset by this.
I contacted the school, and his teacher phoned me after school was out. Bascially before christmas he was quiet and well-mannered, and now he is not 'on task', is not listening, mucking about, and making the wrong choices about friends (the teacher said this), and spacing out abit.
He is such a sensitive bright wee boy, and I so don't want him to not acheive what he could do, becuase he is basically messing around - I know he's only wee - but how can I get him to concentrate in class and behave??? they have so much to learn, and there's no space to slack about and fall behind.
We have the same thing at home - since before Christmas we have found that he isn't listening (to me anyway) and is giving us a bit of back chat, and using not nice tone of voice when he is speaking sometimes. i had put this down to tiredness, and hearing what older children say in the playground - but what can I do??
I am a bit upset about this, i know he finds school alot of work, but what can I do to help, other than send him to bed at 6.30!! He already is in bed by 7pm, so I don't know that I could realistically get him in bed any earlier. does he need more food? different food? is it a phase? is he just in with the 'wrong crowd'?
any ideas would be very VERY welcome as I am a distressed mummy!
Kx