Younger DD correcting older DS

[OnikokoMum]

I have a very bright 5 year old DD in Y1(not yet sure if she's actually in the G&T league, but among top in class for everything) and a struggling 8yr old DS in Y4. DD will very soon "overtake" DS in reading and spelling and doesn't she just like to jump in and show him! She's not doing it maliciously - she just wants to join in, but it makes him look stupid. She's only 5, so it's a tough thing for her to understand the dynamic, at work here, although we've tried to e.g. encourage her to stay quiet if we ask DS a question or distract her with something of interest to her. Just wondering if anyone has any good tips for this kind of situation? Thank you!

My children aren't allowed to comment/ interrupt when the other is doing their homework or reading to me. It's bad manners and rude.

In every day life yes it is harder to manage. I'd just look for what your DS's talents are and praise him in that. I know it's tough for your DS, but wouldn't be asking DD to make herself smaller in anyway to make her brother feel better.

What is DS good at?

Tricky.

At all times I would try to do their work apart from each other/separately and I would also have candid discussions with DD about interrupting people (not you’re more clever than your brother, don’t make him look bad but just because we have the answer doesn’t mean it’s our turn to shout it out).

I would also make extra effort to draw attention to things he is good at in school. Is this sports/science/maths/sports/IT? It’s a really fine balancing act at this age because if school becomes to rigidly focussed on the triple R’s (reading, writing, arithmetic) then they lose interest completely in education and it’s HARD to get that back.

Has he been checked for dyslexia. It’s shocking how many cases slip through the net.

Also please don’t think/say your son struggling in something makes him look stupid. It doesn’t at all, no child is stupid. It’s just not his strength and that is something he’ll be acutely aware of.