School is boring

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My 6 year old says he hates school. He says its 'too difficult' and 'boring' (although he is doing well according to teachers). He is now in a proper class and the day is scheduled (e.g. handwriting, reading, numeracy as well as project work e.g. the Romans). He liked school last year because there was more free play and playing with toys e.g. construction. He told me this. Left to his own devices he would play Mario / draw Mario / talk about Mario all day. Any suggestions to motivate? Should I be concerned or is this standard for any child, NT or autistic?

Is this a recent complaint? The school year has been going on for a while, so has this been all year, or did it just get started?

I think since around Christmas but getting more frequent.

Given the school says he is doing well, my guess is that "too difficult" actually means "too tedious". In that case, what he is lacking is not motivation but challenge.

I don't have any great suggestions, unfortunately. My own first grade provided a self paced program, so I could just go faster when it got boring, but I'm guessing that's not an option at your school. Maybe give him extra paper in his school supplies so he can doodle when he's finished with an assignment?

Well, then I guess the problem resides in the severity of the complaint.

When he says it is difficult does he merely mean he has to work a bit in order to learn the material? If that is the case then there isn't much you can do about it. Everybody needs to learn things eventually, and learning does take some effort, at least more so then playing with legos. The complaint about school being boring may also be of minor concern, as in he just gets a bit bored during story time. If this is the case then I would take time to remind him of all the benefits of going to school. I.E. learning how to read helps him to read things which interest him such as game guides to the Mario games. Also, school lets him spend time with his friends or other enjoyable activities (assuming of course that he finds at least something enjoyable at school). It may also be a good time to talk about making good commitments to do the right thing even if it is a bit hard. For example, dad goes to work every day, so should your son.

Conversely, if by too hard he means that he is completely confused, bewildered, lost and getting frustrated then you have a more serious problem. Likewise, by boring he might mean something more then just a little boredom. He might mean that going to school is a horrible, soul crushing experience that is draining his will to live. Trust me, I've been there, done that, not fun. If that is the case you probably need to take what he is saying a bit more seriously and find out what is causing the problems.

So, I guess I would first try talking to him and finding out specifically what he means by 'too difficult' and 'boring'.

Thanks Tracker, you are right. I'm pretty sure it's the first scenario and that he finds it all a bit of an effort and not particularly stimulating. That is a good idea to compare it to his dad going to work.

Well, it is certainly possible it is the first scenario. But I would still confirm that by talking to your child before you proceed on that assumption.

Yes I will. We talk a lot, normally before he goes to bed when we talk about his day. Luckily he is quite good at talking about what upsets him/pleases him. I find out a lot of information from our night-time chats. For example, he told me he was frighted to use the old toilets at school as they had black seats so I shared this with school and now he goes to the newer toilets that have white seats. Also, yesterday he told me he doesn't like playing tag because he is a slow runner but he tags the children who have their back to him (clever tactic!).

My son always said school was boring. And Tracker is right, talking with them is the best way to narrow it down to the real reason. Sometimes answers can surprise you so be open to anything he says to you.

It is good to hear you can talk together. That is something that will come in so handy as he gets older. Don't lose that connection.

For me it really WAS boring! I didn't get into anything that came as any challenge until maybe 3rd grade, and then there is all this garbage you are expected to do and you can't try to do the teacher's work. THEY certainly don't want to do it. In 3rd grade, my first semester was straight As, and my second had some Bs. The "teacher" apologized to my mother, at the END of the year, for being such a bad teacher. I was in the first class she ever "taught", lucky me(sarc).

Perhaps he has a similar problem.

Steve

You're son's right! School IS boring!! But all jokes aside, I think it's pretty typical to feel that way. My son is 6 also and he used to love school, now he hates it. His NT 6 year old cousin is the same way. Although, they get through it successfully because there is not other option and they know it. My son is also obsessed with Mario and Sonic.