Bit worried about my ds1. Ok, admit that (deep down) I am a competitive parent. Never have been into all that who walked/ talked/ biked quickly business. And I don't want him to be 'top of the class', but just doing well I suppose. My ds1 is in one of the lowest groups in his school for reading, despite more than three quarters of the kids starting with English as second language. In fact even many of those kids who don't speak English at home have now overtaken him. He is in with January starters now. His teacher is always saying he's really intelligent, but he's often sent out of the class for bad behaviour and he is getting behind academically. To be fair, I haven't done lots at home as I have toddler twins, he is exhausted after school and he hates doing any reading/ writing, however fun I make it (we've made books, labelled pictures etc.).
I just wondered if/ when his behaviour settles down, whether he will be able to catch up or whether this is really going to set him back long term. Also what I can do to help him. His teacher is EXTREMELY odd and always says he's really intelligent, he will just grow out of the behaviour stuff/ being able to sit still and listen. He can certainly concentrate for ages when he wants to, but struggles when he's not interested in something. Apparently he is not interested in reading or writing, despite the fact we read lots of books. Now it's nearly the end of Reception, I just feel like he should be able to write more than his name and be able to read a bit.
I don't want to come across as a pushy parent. I think maybe my lack of pushiness hasn't helped him to be honest. I've asked the teacher a few times what we could do, but not really pestered when she's said to leave it. Now I feel guilty and that he's not where he could be. Part of me thinks, well GCSE's are a very long way away, so there's plenty of time for things to get better. But then I worry that he's going to be 'stuck' feeling like he's not able. He does say sometimes that he's not clever, and this really isn't coming from us. Is it common that kids get off to a bad start and change later?