Good Enough

I sit here, eating bite sized Twix bars and fighting back tears. Sure, I jest of having a personal relationship with Buster’s teacher because I get a weekly phone call home…but it’s beginning to get old. I don’t want to have this kind of relationship with his teacher.

I feel completely helpless. It goes beyond embarassment too hear my child is pushing kids in line and talking back to the teacher. This is my first born. My test subject, if you will. I hurt because he is struggling in school. Academically he is fine. He is intelligent. He is learning to read. He is doing well on his spelling tests. I’d say after helping out in class that he is slightly above average for a boy his age, which is exactly where I would want him to be. But he is having a hard time paying attention, listening to directions the first time around, and he’s not being respectful to his teacher…These are things we work on at home. We work on respect…we work on it every day. He never follows my directions the first time around. Or the second. But how can I help him at school when he’s away and it’s even more crucial for him to get this right?

I feel like the respect issue, and keeping his hands to himself are clear cut problems that Mr.Good and I can easily address. What really has me worried is how to get him out of his own head…how can I help him daydream a little less, so that at the very least he can hear his teacher when she says it’s time to get ready to go?

I feel for his teacher, I realize she has 21 other students to help. I don’t want my child to be the problem student. I love Buster. I want him to do well and reach his potential.

I didn’t see this coming at such an early stage in his academic career.

Advice is welcome and sought after regarding this conundrum.