Q&A: PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE

  • My six year old is a really bad loser

     

    Q.My six-year-old son is a really bad loser. Any time we are playing a simple game with rules he cheats or freaks out when he can’t win every time. It is becoming really irritating and is making him very unpopular with other children who often avoid playing with him. How can I help him be a better loser?Read more

  • My 10 year old is becoming a TV addict

    Q. My ten year old son is becoming a real TV addict. He can just watch hours of TV, whether it is soaps, films or game shows. We are really worried that he is spending less time with friends or in physical activity (he is putting on weight). We try to encourage him away from the couch but he always finds his way back. Are we right to be worried? He gives no trouble apart from this.
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  • My child gets over excited on Christmas Eve

    Q. My six-year-old child gets over excited about Christmas especially on Christmas Eve when he is excited about Santa coming. Last year he couldn’t get asleep and got really worked up. He kept us all awake. How can I help him this year?
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  • My 6 year old is in trouble in school

    Q. My six year old son is in senior infants at school. Recently he has been getting into a lot of trouble with the teacher, like talking out of turn, being disruptive walking away from the desk. She says that he is often defiant refusing to do what he is told. It has got to the point that each day, I dread collecting him from school in case the teacher is going to give me another bad report. To be honest we don’t see many problems at home, but I am very worried about what is going to happen at school.
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  • Going supermarket shopping with my son is a nightmare

    Q. Going supermarket shopping with my six-year-old son can be a nightmare. I always have a lot to buy and I don’t have much time. He goes running in the aisles and won’t stay by my side. He won’t listen to what I say and sometimes laughs at me when I try discipline him. Last week, he knocked down a whole pile of tins and I had to leave the shop. It was really embarrassing.
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  • My kids are always fighting with each other

    Q.My two sons (seven and five) are constantly arguing and fighting. I feel like I spend my whole day just being a referee between the two of them. Sometimes, I lose my own temper and all three of us get upset. Their fights are dragging the atmosphere of the whole family down. I just wish they could learn to share and get on.

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  • Seven Year Old Telling Lies

    My seven year old girl is starting to lie a lot. She will make up stories for no reason. The other day she told me that she got star pupil of the week. When I asked the teacher about it, she said it wasn’t true. What worries me is how elaborate the lie was, she had a big story about how she got the star. When I tell her off, or ask her why she told a lie, she closes down and doesn’t say anything. It is not the first time.Read more

  • Bad loser

    My six-year-old son is a really bad loser. Any time we are playing a simple game with rules he cheats or freaks out when he can’t win every time. It is becoming really irritating and is making him very unpopular with other children who often avoid playing with him. How can I help him be a better loser?

    While most children learn over time how to participate and cooperate in games,  many find this really hard and can become really upset at losing.Read more