Think my son may have behavioural problems

[bananasmoothie]

My 6 year old is getting to the point where he's out of control, he's constantly cheeky to people, even people he doesn't know and if he's with his friends he will play up in the street, run off, go into peoples gardens, last week he even ran ahead and opened up a salon door, shouted something in and then ran off again.
He's terrible at school, he's only in year 1 but already he has a behavioural report card...he's only one of two kids that has one and the other kid has real "problems" at home etc.

At his open night last week the teacher said she was at a loss as to what to do with him as nothing seems to bother him, she sends him to sit on his own and he still disrupts the class, she sends him to sit in with another class with a male teacher and he plays up again...even though the kids in the class are older, it doesn't bother him.

He's becoming a bully, pokes people and constantly irritates the people around him, he shouts out in class, runs around, acts silly etc etc... he missed a full playtime yesterday as he kept being sent to stand on the wall for misbehaving and everytime he was allowed off he did something else!

The teacher said she is concenred that already he is making a bit of a name for himself in the school, all the teachers know him, parents have been asking for their children to be "watched" near him...I honestly can see him being suspended sooner or later.

He's just the same at home though, nothing bothers him. I'm a single parent but he does see his dad once a fortnight (but isnt bothered about the threat of me telling him about his behaviour), I have another son who is great, never in trouble...so why him? Could he have a medical problem or is he just a brat? What can I do?

Yesterday the teacher told me that another teacher had gotten so angry with him (he'd been told off 3 times before the register was taken) that she shouted at him and he stood there and laughed!

Any help would be appretiated.

Firstly, have you asked your son why he is behaving like this? It is all too easy to label a child, and you need to praise any positive behaviour, however small. Make sure he doesn't see himself in the role as the 'naughty child', whilst your other child is the one you see as 'great, never in trouble...'.
Have you met with the school and your ex-partner to collaborate on consistent methods of discipline? Every one in your son's life needs to be reacting in the same way to any inappropriate behaviour.
If you are already doing this, ask the school to contact the Behaviour Support team and request an assessment with the Ed Psych. They will be able to suggest strategies to help your son cope with his behaviour.

Bananasmoothie,

Just wanted to say, I had some problems with my DS few weeks ago (infact I posted about him here). He also had a behavioural book whereby he gets a sad face for bad behaviour and a happy face for good. I think you need to be very strict with him before its too late.
What I did with my ds is, everytime he comes home with a sad face (I'm sorry to say) he gets punished (stands facing the wall with his hands up, and he loses his TV time). I have told him that anytime he comes home with a sad face he will be facing the consequences of his actions at home. This seem to be working and I had a review with the teacher last week and she was very pleased with progress.
By the way, I'm single parent as well and my DS is nearly 6 and in year 1.

So my advice is you have to really take control and let him know that behaviour like that is unacceptable. We have a chart at home with a list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours.

Also, consistency is the key. Stick to your guns and don't let that baby face smile put you off!

Good luck

My DS2 is 7 and in Year 2. I've wondered too recently if he has behaviour problems, although he's better behaved at school than he is at home. At least, I think he is, because he's not got a behaviour record and the teacher doesn't call me in over him.

Lately at home he's been a nightmare. He's very argumentative and obnoxious by nature, he wants his own way all the time, he screams like a baby over the slightest thing. He's the youngest of three. He has a Brother who's 13 months older, and my DD is 3 years 9 months older than him.
He can be really horrible. He's been upsetting DD a lot lately, and she's been having problems of her own and really doesn't need it. She had a friend home for tea on Friday, and I had to banish DS2 to my Mum's as he's a nightmare around older children particulary DS1 and DD's friends. He keeps throwing himself at them, and hanging off them and swinging them round when they really don't want it, and he just won't leave them alone. DD's friend actually said to DD at school that she hoped DS2 wasn't here when she came round. I can't blame her. So to be fair to her and DD, that's why I sent him to Mum's. It just wouldn't have been fair on them.

Like you say, Bananasmoothie, my other Son and Daughter aren't like this. It's just the general silliness and cheekiness that gets out of control at times. I've been at a loss to know what to do with him.

Oh, they're sent to try us, aren't they?