Kindergartener Having Trouble Focusing

I regret every day sending my 5 YO to kindergarten. August 1st birthday. Way too young.
They expect too much, and most of the kids in his class are likely 6! Unfair to compare them.

I don't see it as a big deal to just wait until age 6. The other kids all went at 6 and it was way less stress. They were better behaved and ready to learn. 5 is too young since the schools push academics so much at this age now in kinder. Plus, he was like a month older than the second oldest kid...hardly a big deal!

They do not catch up...if behind in K...it's a vicious cycle. Best to repeat K.

I work at a school and also Sub Teach.
At ANY given time, at any given minute, at any given second, ANY and all, Kindergarten kids, may or will, have trouble such as:
listening
staying still as a statue
needing to go to the bathroom even if it is not 'scheduled.'
doing a task without distraction
talking
lining up perfectly
being robotic
being one mood all day long for every single second
not getting tired. Because, kids this age, DO get tired.
being mistake free with all their work
getting class work done super fast
following complex directions/instructions
remembering instructions... that are 8 steps in length
etc.

It also has nothing to do with age. But age development is important.
ie: some 3 year olds are more cooperative than a 5 year old.
Some 4 year olds are more emotionally, mature than say a 6 year old.
I see it, at school.
There is a wide range of emotional maturity. And of academic ability. It is 2 different things.

Being 'smart' is not the main thing or the only thing to go by.
AND it is not the sole thing, to go by.
At all.
I see some smart 5th graders, who are very, emotionally immature and act up. So being "smart"... does not make a difference on how 'successful' they are.
And, it is the social and emotional development, that greatly... affects a child's 'ability' to... learn.
There are LOTS of, smart kids... who cannot learn or do not learn well. Because, they are not able to behave or be respectful.
Being smart... also does not mean, that a student is mistake, free.
ALL kids make mistakes. Or careless errors.
And your child is young.
Even 5th graders make, careless errors or mistakes... on homework or in-class work or on tests.
NO student, is error or mistake, free.
And it does not.... destroy a child's "academic" future.
But like anything, a kid and even an adult... needs to learn how.... to look over their work, how to double check things, read questions carefully, thinking first before answering the question etc.
My daughter in 4th and 5th grade made careless errors.
SO, we, taught her how... not to rush through her work, how to double check her answers, and to make sure she read the question accurately. EVEN teachers, will advise students to do this.
And it just takes, learning skills.... on how to do their work more carefully.
I never got my daughter tested or evaluated.
I have a son too.
Boy or girl... any kid especially when young, can get distracted.
You guide your son, teach him school manners/behavior etc.
It is not, gender specific.
I also see, at the school I work at... MANY girls.... who are this way.
And some just choose... not to listen.
They are tired or hungry.
At that point, I let the kids take a break... stretch for a few seconds, drink water, and we do silly scream 'yells' to get their yah-yah's out. THEN, continue on. It is school. Kids need to learn, school is not home and home is not school.

And at this age, yes... kids need the parent, to be next to them, when doing homework. Not that the parent does it for them, but you need to.... guide them. Keep them, on task.

Kids mature a great deal in first grade. Please do not have him repeat it. He's already done the work so he'll act up even worse if he's doing it again. He will be so bored. Plus all his friends will be on the playground and they will make fun of him for flunking. Don't hold him back just because he's doing what most 5 year olds do. He's acting very normal.

I'm not sure why he isn't able to focus, though he doesn't sound too atypical from most kinder boys. If he's behaving well and finishing his work - even if he's last - then he is where he should be. He is NOT too young and shouldn't repeat kindergarten based solely on his age.

I would sit down with the teacher and find out what she thinks. She has seen a wide variety of students and can help evaluate your son based on where he is relative to where he should be.

Homework in kindergarten?

It all sounds developmentally normal to me.

He sounds just like my GD was in kindergarten. This is just what kindergarten is really for - to teach a child how to be a student. It sounds like he's pretty typical and I really wouldn't worry but I would be right next to him for homework. I recall doing homework with the child for kindergarten and 1st grade. By 2nd grade they've matured a bit and can usually accomplish the homework on their own.

Please just give him some time to mature and figure out how to be a student.

First of all he is not young. Sounds like a typical 5 yo boy! See how therest of year goes and repeat if necessary. I would not start testing. Most of the time,time and maturity takes care of things
By the time they hit 2nd grade you would ever know who had issues and who did not.

normal boy. he will grow and develop.. and in first grade he will be better.. but still have problems focusing.. this is a normal boy. ask the teacher if he is more distractable than the other students..

my son is similar..but also a normal boy..

Your son is still learning. You can maybe test his eye sight or hearing to see if those are on track but since he really wants to learn then that is half the battle! My son is a late September baby and started Kindergarten when he was 4 years 11 months so I don't agree with the boys repeating kindergarten thing. My son did great. If you work with your son and get some suggestions from the teacher he should be fine for first grade. Also - if this makes you feel better - my son is 11 now and in the Gifted program at his Middle School... He still makes those silly mistakes on his tests. It drives me crazy! And we still supervise the homework. As long as your son wants to learn and you stay involved, he'll be fine. Good luck.

I don't have a 5 year old (my daughter is only 15 mos.) but I suggest trying to work with your child. Not just on homework, but on everything he's working on. So, if he's learning how to write or read (I really have no idea what 5 year olds learn!) then give him every opportunity to use those skills. If he's learning and finishing his work then great!

To me, it sounds like he wants you to be involved in his progress. Maybe he's making these "careless mistakes" because you'll help him? I think before you make any big decisions, you should work with your child on whatever he's learning and see if that helps. Also, and I'm not saying you don't, cheering him on and being supportive of his accomplishments can really make a difference.

Good luck!

It's because he's too young.
Esp for boys as they mature a little differently/slower than girls.
For boys, it seems in my experience, that it is better for them to start kindergarten at almost 5 1/2 or 5 3/4.
The Kinder deadline is later for birthdays in some areas. For the boys is seems to be better.