Hi, I was wondering if you could post this question so I can get a little insite? My 5 yr old started Kindergarten last week and has had problems almost every day. Just about everyday so far I’ve gotten messages from his teacher on how he’s refusing to follow directions from anyone, he’s constantly crying and wandering the classroom. Won’t stay in his seat and is messing with other students belongings. There have been other issues but these are just some I’m stuck on and am having trouble with getting him to understand that these things aren’t okay. What do you recommend I try to get him to atleast follow directions better please and thank you
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my kindergartner to pay attention in class?
It’s a hard transition for the little ones. Did he go to pre k? I have a kindergartener that just started too. I’m finding they expect a lot from them. She went to pre k and she can sit and follow directions and all that but they are expecting a LOT academically in my opinion, especially for the ones that didn’t go to pre k. I don’t have much advice but you’re not alone. It’s a tough transition 
Practice these things at home. Give him tasks and set boundaries so that he can learn to follow rules.
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Has he been taught consequences? Disciplined?
Take things away that he likes doing when he gets home or offer rewards for his good behavior.
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There is no guaranteed way to do this. Its hard going to school so young. Id work on the skills you can at home and honestly he’s a young kid not a robot ( which is what schools want) its gonna take time
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A kindergartner has a huge transition to accept. The teacher and yourself have to give him time to adjust. Not just a week.
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Maybe he isnt quite ready for kindergarten yet
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He’s 5 so I would cut him a bit of slack… Maybe practice at home sitting still paying attention… Also have a conversation see if somethings bothering him… if he’s never been to a school setting then it’s all new to him
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He’s adjusting. But he also may not be ready for school either. His behavior suggests that he is not mentally ready for school. Maybe get him into a preschool for after school so that he can be shown how he is going to need to be for school. Sometimes they need a little extra to understand. Some kind of program that has structure to it will help him in school to be better behaved and focused. He’s honestly just starting out an may take some time to get with the flow. An his teacher should understand this but I know some think kids should automatically get it even if it’s something very new for them.
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Maybe he isn’t ready for kindergarten and needs a/another year of pre-k?
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He is 5 years old, they are not meant to be made to sit still for long periods of time. Young children learn best by movement and activities. This might not be the class room or even the school for him. You might want to ask more on the classroom routine. If it involves the children being expected to sit for long periods of time then this is NOT the classroom or maybe the school for your child
Learning how to act in a classroom should have occurred between the ages of 3-5 in the pre-school setting. Your 5-year old is already behind the other kids and it will be hard to get caught up. You must now work on this at home. Get him involved in group activities for children his age where you can watch him interact and give him guidance. If you punish him, or give consequences he will learn to hate school and never do well. It’s got to be made enjoyable for him in order to succeed.
This is to not make light of the situation…but at first I read it wrong and thought this person said “how can I get my kidnappers attention” 
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The teacher should be more patient. He’s in kindergarten. Sounds like the teacher is not doing her job propertly. We had a teacher like that last year. My son’s in 5th grade now but his 4 the grade teacher was constantly picking on my son. I’ve never had any complaints at all only he’s a joy to have in class, he’s so sweet, he so helpful etc. Then this one teacher was an ass. Some teachers will put up more then others. Hang in there mama it will get better.
My guess is he’s not ready for kindergarten yet. He’s only 5 and some kids mature faster than others. Maybe you should try to get him in a year of pre-k. It could be that this teacher is expecting these kids to sit still way longer than any 5 year olds should be expected to sit. Maybe some of the kids were prepared in preschool, but your son hasn’t caught on yet. I would check into getting him into pre-k.
Was he ever in preschool? My son turned five 3 weeks before starting kindergarten & was also in a daycare/preschool setting & never had an issue. He may not be ready for school yet.
Maybe get the child’s eye sight and hearing checked maybe child can’t concentrate as he can hear or see properly. Did he go to preschool first the learn the basics . It’s only the first week at least give the child a month or even two . It’s a big step .
So we did preschool Pre-K thing with our five year since she was one and ours has showed out everyday but two for five weeks she knows boundaries discipline consequences nothing has worked for us either so I have been told it is an adjustment so I am with you mama at lost with what to do. I have been told it will even out but week are five weeks in. I SO GET YOUR FRUSTRATIONS.
Maybe pratice at home listening and following directions! Does he sit at a table for dinner and such at home? Try that. Honestly alot of kids start pre-school now at 3 and your son is 5. So he might be alittle behind. But he will get caught up, work with him at home.
Did he do pre-K at all?
If not maybe ask about having him in a pre-K program so he can learn. He’s also very young my child turned 5 10 days before the cut off and since she had already been doing 2 years of pre-K we went ahead and put her in kindergarten.
Hes 5. They’re not made to sit still and follow orders. Children of that age should still be running around getting rid of energy before being asked to sit still for a few minutes. New school starts here spend lots of time learning through play and games rather than being forced to sit still for hours . Id look into how they teach their little ones and either keep him home another year or look into changing schools for one more child friendly
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My daughter came home the 3rd day saying she cried in class because it was too hard, she also got a sad face that day, called the school the next day and they realized she was put in the wrong grade. I’d definitely see about putting him in prek,
Practice following simple 1 or 2 step directions at home (first, pick up your toys then we can color, just as an example) it should help. Small tasks to help him stay focused and really practice the no touching in every day life, don’t let him just take things at home, make sure he asks before he just grabs unless its something of his. You might also consider having the school evaluate any possible learning disabilities if doing all this isn’t sinking in.
Its a bit sad that some kindergarten teachers expect too much for such young age, reason we need to put our kids in pre-k, to get them ready specially for their social skills
Just because he’s 5 doesn’t mean he’s ready yet. THAT’S OKAY!! I would work with the teacher for the remainder of the month and if no progress is being made, then I would consider stating him in preschool for the year and try Kindergarten again next year.
Preschool is amazing for kids. You can usually tell right away which kids went to preschool and which ones didn’t.
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Request an evaluation from the school. He may just need some extra support in the classroom from the social worker or an aide.
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Give it time sometimes we assume they are adults he is only 5
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It’s a big change for him
Going from being in a small group of kids to going to big school
Surely the teacher understands that
Just encourage him to pay attention and follow directions
All kids will be like that
At his age
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Sounds like he needs an individual learning plan. Is his school not big on individual learning plans? 
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Practice it at home 
l Get paid over $113 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $13113 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
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He’s only 5 and mentally could not be ready I did that with my daughter when she turned 5 in July and started kindergarten in subsist never went to preschool and she had had trouble academically but her teacher was amazing and was patient with her but even at the end of the year she was still a little behind and her teacher and principal suggested she repeat kindergarten she still had the same teacher and the following year she was diagnosed with adhd and anxiety but now she’s 8 and in the 2nd grade and is thriving
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Well I mean clearly he doesn’t listen to authority I mean maybe he has ADHD or something I mean I’m not sure how you can get home to pay attention in class they’re still pretty young at that age it’s kinda do what they wanna do so unless you’re right there I’m not sure … see if has ADHD take him to the doctor. And man I’ve cussed many a teacher out and they’re starting early in the year to be calling you like that they’re gonna hate you lol
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Maybe he’s not ready for it
Being 5, it might not be developmentally appropriate.
They are not wired to sit, sit, sit. Their bodies need movement, and learn best through movement. The days are way too long and exhausting for these young children.
Learning needs to be through play and interest.
And the teacher needs to follow the lead of the child and how each individual child learns.
Might need more movement breaks, if fidgety have the child run and errand, do some wiggle breaks, and such.
Provide wobble seats, bands around chairs to kick.
Change up lessons to meet needs of all children.
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Is he a “young” 5? Ours turned 5 and started kindergarten less than a month after his birthday. The first semester was rough. At the winter break, his teacher suggested that he might not be mature enough for school. He wanted to behave, he just had difficulty. He has always been a rule follower at home, so not following rules at school surprised us. We moved his bedtime up by a couple of hours to ensure he was well-rested before he had to get up. It made a world of difference in his attitude. He finished out the year with no issues.
Don’t stress mumma I was getting phone calls everyday for a year and a half because my son was a pest in class, he’s in year 2 now and he has finally settled In and is really trying to best he can to be good and learn. Sometimes it take other kids a little bit longer to settle in then others. Don’t panic just do your best and reassure your child everyday to try and be good and behave. Don’t forget they are only younge they haven’t got the the best of attention expands at this age. Teachers are doing an amazing job with our kids I appreciate that but they are also asking to much from our kids at the ages of between 5- 9. Your child will come to and settle just give it time don’t rush it.
I learnt when we took the tablet, phone, away from our 5 years old, she was able focus more when we were reading her a stories. She was able to write her whole alphabet on paper and learn to spell words. Sometimes it doesn’t really have to do with our kids but its the environment and stuff we give to over stimulate their minds. They are too young for all that stuff.
He’s 5. I’m not sure why these teachers expect literal babies to be able to follow direction sitting in a class room, the same class room mind you, for 7 hours a day 5 days a week. (At least where I live). I told my son’s teacher, (1st grade) because she’s been complaining about my son being too social, that he is just a social child and if he’s there for 40 hours a week, it’s to be expected. I asked her what she expects from these children, so I know what to tell my son, but also to get her to think about what she’s asking. It is bizarre to think we can diagnose 5-7 year olds for not being able to handle school with ADHD just because they can’t focus. They were born to play at this age, learn about the world outside of a class room, not sit there and do paper work and iPad time. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. She could just be a grump teacher without any regard for the way children should actually behave.
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I agree maybe get him evaluated for ADHD or ADD. Ask also for him to be evaluated for either an IEP or a 504 Plan.
Reach out to other parents in his class to see if any of his classmates are having some of the same issues……
He’s 5 this is normal all kids.are different idk why some teachers are soooo uptight there kids not robots
Sounds like he didn’t do preschool. He would have had a chance to.learn what was expected of him in kindergarten. And you would have been counseled on areas he needs improvement in. Perhaps since it is early in the school year you can withdraw him and place him in a pre-K program. And age is never the perfect predictor of readiness!
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The teacher needs to chill. It’s an adjustment period. You can’t expect kids that young to come in and go straight to work the first week.
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He’s 5 and it’s kindergarten. He may be having a real hard time adjusting. He’s not hitting other kids, being violent or aggressive so just work with him and remind him school is different than home. He is supposed to do what the teacher says. If he doesn’t seem to improve in time, mention it to his ped.
It takes thema while to adjust
He’s still young. School just started and he needs time to adjust. He probably has separation anxiety, hence the crying and wandering. I myself had a difficult time in kindergarten. I turned 5 like 2 weeks before school started, so I was a young 5 and not yet mature enough. My parents made the decision to hold me back and repeat K the following year. I did so much better the second time around. One of the things my parents did, was have me do a counseling session each week with my guidance counselor. I did this from my second year of K until 2nd grade. It was a tremendous help. I only ever saw it was taking a break from class and just talking. Sometimes I’d color and have general conversation, other times we’d read a book and talk about it. I had zero idea at the time that I was in a counseling session.
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He’s 5. Did he go to pre-k/head start? He could also be bored bc the work is too easy. He could also be frustrated bc the work is too hard. Get him a couple of workbooks from Walmart. One for preschool and one for kindergarten and one for 1st grade. Then work on them with him. Make it a game. You can see what level he’s at without resorting to testing, which is really hard to get done at 5 years old. He could also just literally be 5 and doing 5 year old things. It sounds like this teacher has unrealistic ideas of what 5 year olds are like. And yes, there are some 5 uear Olds who can sit still and pay attention for long periods of time, but I feel like they are the exception not the rule. What is a normal school day like? When my son was in kindergarten they switched activities every 30-45 mins and were able to move to a different space in the classroom. Yes they still practiced writing their letters and numbers and getting the simple basics down, but there was also scheduled activity times. Because they were 5 & 6 years old.
Work with him on it at home. Find out the classroom rules and implement the ones you can at home so that things are the same there as they are at home and he can get used to doing it in both places that he spends most of his time.
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Maybe take him to a doctor and get him checked for ADHD
It takes time, he’ll figure it out. I’m a substitute teacher and its ok. It’s hard on these little people.
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I would have him evaluated for ADHD. I wish I had done it sooner with my two girls.
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They’ve threatened to send my kindergartner to alternative school on the 2nd week! 
it’s ridiculous. He’s really not even that bad. He’s struggling a bit settling into the structure so we’re getting him into a behavioral therapist to help him understand and also learn to regulate his emotions. She’ll be visiting him during school hours. My older child (13 now) was a nightmare at this age so I’m just shocked they are being so hard on my son… he’s seriously nowhere close to needing to go to alternative school 
You need to get the kiddo tested through SPED and talk to his ped about testing for a medical diagnosis. It’s either just a struggle to adjust or he may have some other issues happening that can be addressed with extra assistance.
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He is only 5 and in kindergarten. School just started. Give him grace
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Give him 3 weeks to adjust
I know school just started but I would consider having him evaluated for adhd. Doesn’t mean he deff has it. But it’s something to keep in mind.
My son has ADHD and was diagnosed in kindergarten. He is on one pill a day before school and wears off around the time he gets out and he has done wonderful with concentrating in class.
My son has never been a wonderer but he was also in prek for a few years, so if he has never been in school prior to kindergarten that can be why he isn’t sitting still and just has to be taught.
Has he been tested for ADHD ?
My son is 9 and has been on medication for 3yrs. It helps a ton and most of what you described was how he was. He also takes a PM dose at lunch. Otherwise he is a busy boy! He still can’t stop talking to save his life but I’d be getting daily calls without it I’m sure lol
Good luck! It doesn’t hurt to do the Vanderbilt forms! 
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Do t give him foods with red, yellow and blue dye. It causes adhd. Make sure he’s taking vitamins. It will help him concentrate . Bergamot essential oil helps people concentrate. I gave my child lil bit of coffee and it does the opposite effect with kids with adhd. He doesn’t drink it now. It was just for a short time. Positive reinforcement works better. It’s very common for kids to not adjust to school with it only being 2 weeks in. It will be ok. I homeschool my 5 yr old and he does get distracted although that’s normal. He may need to sit infront of class rather than in back to be able to channel out the distractions. Have u tried checking his eyesight? There’s s lot of structure in class, try to mimic the same routine at home so that he can get in the habit of the routine and what’s expected of him.
He’s five and just beginning kindergarten. After a few weeks he will get what’s going on and begin to fit in.
Children that are around a few adults, not been to day care and not been to preschool often have a tough time in the beginning.
Be patient. He’s five.