Wicked smart 1st grader with social issues?

Question

I need suggestions on how to help a 7 year old 1st grader who is wicked smart with social behavior issues. He has no patience with kids not as smart as him and has a very short temper. The school has been little to no help and counseling isn't working. He has a sticker chart at school and knows exactly what he needs to do to get what he wants. I need some ideas - anything.

Answer 1

Is there a possibility that he could skip a grade?  It sounds like he would do better in a group of children who are more on a par with him intellectually.  Perhaps you can discuss this with the principal.  It's a bit late for it this school year, but maybe in the fall he could go into third grade rather than second.   He can't be too far behind the second graders in age.....my daughter is still six in first grade.

Answer 2

Ahh..this is very common for gifted children. It poses a tough battle for many people.

If there a gifted program he could be put in so he's with people at his level? I would highly consider looking into that.

If there is not one, I could suggest talking to him...this isn't extremely likely to work however, since he is only 7 >.>

I personally had many social issues when I was in 1st grade due to being gifted, although I never got frustrated with others or spoke out. I just didn't talk at all. I had no friends. In first grade I met my bet friend who was also gifted. We are still friends many years later.

maybe you could talk to the teacher and try to get him to be able to be paired up with another child or two who seems to be exceptionally smart as well...they could possibly do higher level work.

Just please, make sure not to express anger at him. He's only 7 and probably gets frustrated easily because of being so smart.

Hope you get something worked out

<3 Loli

Answer 3

see if they will move him up a grade maybe that will help and find some friends with kids his own age and let him learn to get along with them

Answer 4

Perhaps he is gifted and needs to be placed in the 'Gifted Program" This would place him with others of the same age/intellegence and be challenging to him.   At 7 yrs old he doesn't have the maturity to know why other children in his grade may not be as smart as he is.  

Talk with the administration at the school and suggest placement testing.  He may very well have a high IQ and being with 'average' classmates isn't the right place for him.

Answer 5

Go to the school counselor. They are not just there to talk to kids who misbehave. The counselor has a placement test that he can give your son. He can take the test and then find out where he should be and in what ago group. It sounds to me like you have a little genius on your hands. No, I am not kidding either.

If you have the time you could home school him. That way he is doing work on his level and since you know him best you can handle problems better than a teacher could. You could have him join things in the school like 4-H and other stuff that will still have him be socialized. Sometimes home schooling seems to be the best option in my opionion.

Answer 6

I have a smart one that has loads of patience with others but not himself. You just have to teach him patience. I have always stressed the point to mine that people don't ask questions for fun they ask so that they can know the answer. I tell him when a person could care less to learn I can see him being upset but not rude. But when a person is trying to learn new things then why would he be against helping them. It should be basic good manners not to be rude. If mine is rude then I ask him how it would feel to him if he needed to ask a question, would he like it if the person he asked were rude because he didn't know. Everytime he is caught being rude or short tempered then he needs to be pulled to the side and reminded of his behavoir. If you choose to do that then have a talk with anybody, teachers included, and tell them how you expect them to handle the issue. Most will be happy to help  you out. My son thought because he knew so much that he didn't have to listen. He would already know the work so he would play. Then I asked the teacher if she could start putting him beside her desk if he could not keep from distracting others and it worked great. Just use your patience with him and hopefully it will work out. You will have to pick a punishment and stick to it though, it's easy to let them slide just this one time. I put mine in time out now if he messes up and I do it every time, evenfor something tiny, now he acts alot better than he did. But if I let him start sliding then it is all for nothing.

Answer 7

Have you tried putting him in advanced classes?  Maybe being surrounded by other kids just as smart as himself will help him to reach out and be more social at least with them.  He may even reach out to another kid for help on his work and that will help build his social skills.

Answer 8

When u find out let me know

I have a 6yr old kindergartener doing 2nd grade school work

our problem is social skills...I know why she has them we do homeschool but it was winter and we didnt get out much..this summer she is takin softball and ballet..to become more social....

Answer 9

Send him to an advanced school where other kids can match his intelect.

Answer 10

How about having some kids from school over so that your son can practice socializing with you right there to step in and guide him if he's not behaving appropriately? A teacher might not have the time to intervene consistently when your son is being rude, but that's something you can do on a playdate, and practice and guidance from mom about what to do when he loses his temper can be really helpful.

Answer 11

He needs to be disciplined in such a way that will actually affect him and get his attention.  The sticker chart obviously isn't working.  Also, some good old fashioned talks on how to respect and treat others is in order (you know, the kind of talks Sheriff Andy always had with Opie?).  Oh yeah, and karate class is a great way for a boy his age to learn respect and control.  My son is six and his karate instructor has really helped him in those areas.  Good luck!

Answer 12

Compassion and empathy.  Both of my sons are gifted and talented, and my nine year old used to be the same way.  He has a step brother that is two weeks younger than he is.  My step son had ODD and ADHD.  Mentally, he's about five.  The key for us was asking my son to remember times when someone picked on him for things like Transformers or his imagination and how it made him feel to be treated badly because he is different.

I think the sticker chart is a great idea.  When we have gifted children we have to remember that they are not always emotionally mature.  :)

Counseling is overrated...he needs some good parenting and guidance.  You can do this!!