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My five year old doesn't listen well to instructions in school. I have tried preparing him each morning about being a good listener, but it doesn't stick. The teachers feel he is behaving badly, but he really gets excited about the activities and just isn't good about the strict rules, i.e. stay in line, etc. I understand he has to comply but also get it that he is only five. How do I deal with this, and I'm not sure if I am asking about dealing with my son or the school???

Christine Hierlmaier Nelson Replied: You are not alone. My daughter has had the same challenges of following rules in school. The great thing about 12 years of school, though, is that our children get continued practice at listening, keeping their hands to themselves, following instructions and treating others with respect. I would practice things at home that your son's teachers say that he needs to do at school. Make a game of "follow the leader" and let him lead sometimes, using his most serious and quiet behavior. Practice giving him two simple instructions and asking him to then follow through on the activity you've asked him to do. Make sure you have his attention with good eye contact and ask him to repeat back what you just said. It may be that your son has trouble with natural focus, with so many distractions in a classroom. Rather than allowing teachers to label him as a troublemaker, ask them how you can work together to improve his focus. Ask teachers to let you know when he is doing something well, so you can reinforce that good behavior at home. And give it time; my daughter has learned a lot in the past year of kindergarten and does not have the same disciplinary issues she once had. She is still very social and chatty, but has learned through repetition to follow the teacher's instructions. Practice and praise make a difference!
Posted On 2010-06-21 07:22:22

Judy Molland Replied: First of all, be assured that you're not the first parent to have this problem! After all, don't we want students to be excited about what they are doing at school? I think you make a good point in questioning whether you are dealing with your son or the school. Since you've already tried preparing your son in the morning, but it hasn't helped, your next step might be to try spending some time in your child's classroom to see what's going on. By volunteering as an aide for a day (or whatever time you can carve out for yourself), you will get to see your child in action, which will give you a much better handle on the situation, and you and your child's teacher will get to know one another - very helpful since you need to work together to come up with a good solution for your child. The triangle of child, parent and teacher is usually the best way to go. Good luck!
Posted On 2010-06-09 12:00:34

Stephen Jones Replied: I agree five-year-olds are hard to manage in terms of getting your child to sit down. You might want to start some type of reward system at home where he earns a star for each day of good behavior. You can work as a team member who is consistent. Also get your son/daughter involved in the industries in your are
Posted On 2010-06-07 21:27:34