My son is 5 and, boy, is he giving me a run for my money. He is a burping, talking back, argumentative, defiant ball of 5-year-old “ness.”
He started kindergarten in late August. All was well for the first week. He did well in school…at least, we heard nothing from school, so we assumed he was toeing the line. He was tired. Week 2 was the same with no reports. Weeks 3, 4, 5…it was like O.K. wait a minute what did you say and let me get my pen and write that down and he did what and to whom…aaarrrggghhh. He took a kid’s backpack on the bus and threw it back at the child, he hit a child in free choice…nice, he got a yellow warning 4 times and got in red once. I tried the “O.K. we don’t act that way in school”–no change. I tried the “O.K. if you do this at school there will be consequences at home”–no change. I was at my wit’s end as I did not want my son to get another minor incident report or get in yellow/red on the school behavior chart. I came up with the perfect solution. He loves playing with his dad. I told him if he stayed in green he would be able to play a game/video game with his dad. Worked like a charm. He has been in green every day since week 6.
So, school is going well (for now…I am a born pessimist and assume everything will come to an end in time)…but home is another story. For as good as he is at school, he is giving me a run for my money at home. This weekend was awful. Today he was in timeout 5 separate times for talking back, humming over my talking, pushing his sister to get in the van. I told him to be silent during the drive home from volleyball games. He was so noisy in church–I was embarrassed.
Tomorrow as we say is another day…all three kids are home for a professional day. Wish me luck.
girl, i am in the same boat. my son started having some issues in kindergarten also, so we instituted consequences at home. he’s doing much better at school but has gotten worse at home. it’s as if he uses up all his self control at school and has none left by the time he gets off the bus. he’s always been my more difficult child (ie jumping out of second story windows at TWO) but these days i am running out of patience. we have started a behavior chart at home with rewards at the end of the week. we’re only on week two but it seems to be making a difference. good luck!
He sounds like one tired little boy. Does he go to school all day or half day? I have heard from another friend whose daughter started kinderg’ that when she s home, she almost always has a meltdown. It sounds like our kids just aren’t used to it. What am I saying? My daughter doesnt start school til next year. Good luck!
I added you to my NaBloPoMO Blog roll. I even linked back to your blog on my blog : ).
Oh, what is it about those challenging kinders this year? I hear ‘ya cluckin’ big chicken–as my sisters and I say to each other. The transitions are going to be the end of me.
Did you survive the professional day?
And I’m so sorry, please know that I’m laughing with you, not at you, but the description of him “humming over your talking” just made me giggle. Because I could picture it happening to ME!
Natalie…Yes, we survived the professional day. We had had a busy weekend. which made everyone tired.
My 5-year-old is really in to stickers and glue and maeking things…so he was quite entertained why hewas off school.
I would just like to say, I remember those days. I don’t miss them for one moment. Lately, I have felt a little like he is reverting back and I am SCARED! Boys are wonderful…but so stinkin’ different than girls it’s not even funny!
Kaish had a horrible time in Kindergarten and in first grade as well. Some kids just don’t do school as well as others.