What do you do when your child is ^that^ child?

[FridayOLeary]

You know, the one that has to sit away from all the others during circle time, who continually messes around during swimming lessons, who is away with the fairies most of the time, who has to be minded by a TA during assembly?

He's had his hearing checked and it's fine. There's 33 in his class, he's just about reading now, he can't exactly write. He's sweet and loving, but couldn't name 50% of the kids in his class. His very experienced in SN teacher says there's nothing developmentally wrong but that he's as immature as you'd expect for a late August boy in Reception and has always said he will have caught up by the start of Year One.

I've been into school 3 times in the last fortnight and every time he's been away with the fairies. What do I need to do - I've sat on my hands for the last two terms and he's just not "got it"

Don't take the SN teacher's word for it - s/he is probably right but a second opinion can't hurt.

Does he have reward charts/stickers, what works to encourage him, how do the school handle him and what do you do to discipline/guide him at home, are they different? What's he like at home, and with friends?

Does the "late August" mean he started school at just gone four - seems very very early though I guess there's nothing you can do about that. If you're happy with his teachers opinion then I'd probably try and relax a bit about it.. Have to say at that young age I'd be inclined to leave teacher to manage his school behaviour rather than you doing sticker charts etc for school .. I dont mean I wouldn't encourage "good" behaviour at school just I wouldn't "annoy" him about it at home ..

my late august DD1 only really "clicked" with school once she started y1 last sept... personally i wouldnt panic for about another 6 months & then if he is still struggling & away with the fairies i would then look into it further... but thats just me...

nothing is wrong with your child, do not worry:)

Ha! That was me and my child who was "that kid"!!!
July born, just turned 4 when he started school... identical comments re "immaturity"!!!
Called in numerous times for his disruptive, away with the fairies, needing special attention behaviour, yet always claiming that there was nothing wrong with him developementally or educationally......

So we sat on our hands and waited it out.
Fast forward my ds is now 8 nearly 9 and is absolutely fine. He has grown into his school life and it is all good.

I never forgot...and made special pains to point out that the majority of his peers were 9-10 months older than him..this is absolutely key imho. There is almost an entire year between them. Maturity comes with age, and time, so we gave these to him.

Please please dont worry, your boy is fine, he will be fine and he is jsut bieng a little chap finding his way.
Honestly, having been where you are, i can promise that he will be ok x

I do kind of know he's going to be ok, I wasn't expecting much of him , but it's been a shock seeing him so 'excluded'

Sticker charts etc don't really work - he doesn't care all that much. If he does care about something, his fish-like attention span means he tends to forget how much he cares.

Teacher says he's no trouble at school. Well, she has noted that he can take care of himself perfectly well in the playground , and not to worry about that. I do trust her because this is our third child that she's taught. His TA used to work in the nursery so she knows him well too. But still