Do you have a child whos bright but not at all interested in learning?

[charliecat]

I do, and her unenthusiasticness is making me a bit
Shes 10, in all the top groups at school but for example if she doesnt know a word in a book, she has no desire to find out what it is...
If she doesnt know the answer to something she doesnt care to find out.
I find it...very disheartning to be honest.
She must be picking up something somewhere, but she certainly not eager.
Is there any chance she may chance and grasp a love for learning?
Do you have a child like this..how do you feel?

I do. i find her hugely frustrating. She could if she wanted to but can't be bothered. i'm hoping she'll grow out of it.

Huge sigh...yes it is frustrating, i agree. What age is she now?

dd is a little like this she is only in reception, very bright, teacher says in top 5 in class but a little lazy really needs pushing at the moment i am leaving her as know when she is pushed she refuses point blank.
As she is young am hoping she will grow into learning with pleasure!!

I was THAT child

Did you grow to love learning mrz?

I became a teacher is that the same thing?

I suspect you really mean she's not interested in schoolwork. I find it hard to believe that she doesn't like anything at all. In which case she must be interested in learning how to do the things she likes.

Does she like anything at all?

Perhaps she is interested in learning about things and in ways that are not the first thing one thinks of.

For example, music, creative arts, animals, horticulture/gardening or the like.

I don't know, I have to be more flexible and open-eyed about talents other than what is considered 'learning' in the traditional sense because my daughter has dyspraxia.

It's taught me that everyone has talents, it's just that some peoples' aren't in the way of book learning, school, etc.

Hmmmm, yes schoolwork.
The writing, paper, hard slog of it she doesnt like.
She likes making things and bouncing on the trampoline, and playing her ds and cutting out catalogues.
She cant even be arsed answering me Ive just asked her what she likes doing..UG.

I've just re-read your op. She's in all the top groups. She's doing what's asked of her in school, then. I'm not sure why you are worrying about her. If she's doing what she has to do, why not let her develop her love of learning by doing what she wants or likes to do even if that doesn't tie in with what you think she should be doing?
I think she's more likely to find a love of learning in the things that she likes doing for herself rather in the things she is coerced into doing for someone else.

Hello cc

Do you think she's only appearing to be like this with you? Sometimes they don't show their mums their best sides, they get exhausted at school I think.

Is she curious about things she's passionate about? For instance with dd looking up anything to do with rabbits (her total obsession) or Tinkerbell or jewels etc. will see her enthusiasm shine through.

(also meant to say dd's quite similar to this - top groups but only interested to find out about what she wants to, not just a love of learning per se).

She likes making things and bouncing on the trampoline, and playing her ds and cutting out catalogues.

In other words, she's like a typical 10-year-old kid about to start on her long-awaited summer holidays.

We learn our entire lives, whether we want to or not sometimes.

I'd focus on what she is interested in just now. You might even learn something, too!

Hmm I realise I should be estatic that shes doing so well, shes no trouble etc etc, it just that she clearly has a brain cell or two. But with no desire to use them.
It feels crap.
Maybe im doing that parent-child thing. Id like to sit trawling through books with her finding out facts and information and stuff and shes just soooooooooo not interested.
I guess I feel rejected for that.
Hmm...its me with the issue here isnt it not her.
I would LOVE to find something she is interested in, wants to find more out about. Havent found anything yet. Keep hoping we will stumble upon something.

how about just enjoying her, enjoying watching her playing with her brother and bouncing on that trampoline, making your own sort of mental scrapbook to keep.

before she becomes a teenager .

dd teacher says that she learns by stealth which in his opinion is the best way to learn!!

yup. Age 10. huge IQ, huge 'potential' coasts along on average....hates school ie formal learning.

My ds is like this and it worries me becuase I don't think the school always recognises his potential, so it then becomes a vicious circle as he's not stretched so is then even less inclined to learn. Reports typically say things like "X will only work within his comfort zone but could do so much better..." and "it would be lovely if x displayed his thirst for extra knowledge in IT in other parts of the curriculum" etc. With him I'm sure it's something about school as he's always had a thirst for knowledge, just not within school! Grrr!

Yes. At least one. But he usually pulls his socks up in time for tests and SATs. But it's so stressful making him do his hw and reading. DD isn't like that - she's a breeze in comparison bless her. Jury still out on DS#2 but I have my suspicions