Why do parents who are moving their children to fee paying schools

[silverfork]

... so often complain that their child was 'bored' at school because they are 'clever'?

Quite a few children from dd's school have transferred to prep schools at the end of infants/beginning of juniors but these never seem to be particularly academically successful children. Nevertheless, I frequently heard them talk about boredom in relation to their own child's intelligence.

Thread this morning reminded me (sorry).

A lot of it is about expectations and also what we as individuals want from a school/education. I am very aware that there are some crap independent schools out there although if this recession continues and state schools/education continues to improve then their days may be numbered. But many good independent schools do have significantly better facilities than the top state schools and many more extra curricular activities as well. Some want think this and think it matters and others don't.
There is nothing wring with saying you "not particularly academic" because lets face the not particularly academic child has to go somewhere its when you pretend that they are or even aren't that I get annoyed.

What gets me is that worrying is very contagious. Whatever reason the person withdrawing their child has for doing that, they are going to create worry amongst others as they wonder what secret knowledge that person had which they are not sharing and which caused them to act in this way, and whether they ought to be doing something, too, if they can (probably why someone commented that the hardest people to talk to are those who could afford to do what you have done, but who haven't). It's human nature - just look at runs on banks. People are easily spooked when something is important to them and they will react defensively, even when there is nothing, in reality, to defend, except their own peace of mind.

I agree the "my child is bored' line far from being harmless can cause lots of trouble other parents start looking at their DC is he bored? has Archie's mum got a point? am I missing something?

Worrying is definitely a highly contagious disease.

Awareness is a positive thing, as solutions can be worked towards - and a good state primary will respond positively to a parent bringing boredom issues to its attention - but worrying, and whipping kids out without trying to address the problem first, isn't necessarily so healthy imo.

Altogether different if a school doesn't respond to the original concern, of course.

Is saying you DC is bored another way of saying your a crap teacher? If yes then I find people don't react well to critisism of their professional ability they tend to start looking around for excuses or blame you child. Only one teacher ever agreed my DS was bored and that he was actually boring him rigid and that was because he wasn't the world greatest teacher! He then thanked me and tried very hard to move the lessons on at a faster pace rather than keep going over and over the same ground.

Only last week my DS during his lesson in his prep school finished his work early and though of nothing better to do then to make a poster saying "Life is boring !" and to hold it up with a stone like facial expression. His teaches is actually very good - kids do get bored easily though.

DD made an "The Olympics are boring" poster in the middle of a gold medal match!