“Teachers say my 5 year old not listening in kindergarten. What can I do?”
This may seem like quite an obvious thing to say but before anything else, check his hearing. It may be that at home he hears well but in kindergarten with all the extra noise, he has hearing difficulties. It is always important to discard any possible physical reasons for our children’s behaviours before focusing on psychological ones.
He could also be having trouble with language, following directions, or focusing. It could also be that he is feeling nervous at kindergarten and that stops him from listening properly. It is always important to remember that your child does not mean to be disrespectful, he needs help building his listening skills. Talk to the teacher about these possible reasons and work together to support him. It is very important that the kindergarten and you work as a team.
At home, you can practice with your son to develop his listening skills. Teach him that whenever the teacher talks to him, he should look at them in the eye and ask him to repeat what they said if he did not quite understand it. The teacher could also sit your child next to a ‘well-behaved’ kid so he can model what he should be doing.
Typically, as your child develops, he will get better at listening. If he does not make progress, it may be a good idea to explore whether he may have ADHD or any other condition.
I wish you three all the very best!
Love,
Ana
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