DS(8) is driving me up the wall- WWYD

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DS(8) behaviour doesn't seem to be getting any more mature. Today at school pickup, he ran away from me and hid in the school, running away every time I spotted him. This is when I was also collecting 3 other younger siblings from school at same time . I was very cross but also felt humiliated in front of staff / other parents etc. when I found him , he seemed surprised I was cross (!) and basically complained that it was the only fun he had had all day. He has no concept of other people's feelings- WWYD? I'm not overreacting, am I?

Is the poor behaviour just for your benefit? I mean - how is he with teachers, etc? Is it mostly about attention-seeking, do you think?

The being surprised that you were cross thing does seem like the reaction of a much younger child, I have to say - but I think children have spurts in maturity-growth just as with physical growth and he may well be very different in a few months' time. It's probably worth a chat with the teacher, though.

no, I don't think you are over-reacting - that sounds very immature for 8, particularly if he genuinely didn't understand why you were cross.

What is he like at school?

Well at school he finds it difficult to concentrate , fidgets alot and has lots of energy but he is getting better year on year . Academically he is fine, but would archive more obviously if he could concentrate. What I really want to do, is try to make him understand why it wasn't fun for the rest of us when he was hiding .