How can two children be so different???
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:24 pm
I feel awful because my youngest DS is nowhere near the academic calibre of DS1, and I feel awful again for even thinking such a thing of my child
How can two children, of the same sex, sired by the same parents, brought up in the same household be so different?
DS1 picked everything up easily, could read by 5 years, in fact I was reading him Harry Potter at 5. He picked up numbers quickly and has exceptional mathematical ability for his age (according to last year's teacher)
DS2 is a little darling, so laid back he's practically horizontal but everything work-wise is a struggle. Thinking I was being a good mummy (and teaching Foundation Stage at the time) I started practising High Frequency Words with him when he started Nursery - do you know, every boomin' night for nearly 3 years and he still didn't recognise 'and' !!!! To be fair, now at the beginning of year 2 he does now know all his initial sounds and recognises 'the' (at last!!!). We've spent the whole summer trying to get to grips with number bonds to 10 (and now he's supposed to be doing to 20!) He is making progress, its just sooo slow, bless him.
I don't think I've done anything particularly different with the two boys, I certainly didn't influence DS1 mathematical ability as I was always rubbish at Maths.
I have felt it was worth DS1 taking 11+ as I think he would probably suit a grammar school & is at least 'in with a chance', however I also feel confident he will be fine wherever he goes. DS2 however... well, at this rate I don't think he'll have any chance with 11+, at best I hope he might be average by then, but also he is the one I will most worry about going to secondary school - I can't be confident he'll be fine on his own devices.
I know its very early days for him in year 2, but DS1 was level 3s across the board & there's no way DS2 will be.
The thing is, DS2 is a really creative little boy & he has strengths in other areas, but have I failed him in some way? Have I negected some important subliminal learning that DS1 got??? Love them both to bits, just can't understand the difference
Starmum x
How can two children, of the same sex, sired by the same parents, brought up in the same household be so different?
DS1 picked everything up easily, could read by 5 years, in fact I was reading him Harry Potter at 5. He picked up numbers quickly and has exceptional mathematical ability for his age (according to last year's teacher)
DS2 is a little darling, so laid back he's practically horizontal but everything work-wise is a struggle. Thinking I was being a good mummy (and teaching Foundation Stage at the time) I started practising High Frequency Words with him when he started Nursery - do you know, every boomin' night for nearly 3 years and he still didn't recognise 'and' !!!! To be fair, now at the beginning of year 2 he does now know all his initial sounds and recognises 'the' (at last!!!). We've spent the whole summer trying to get to grips with number bonds to 10 (and now he's supposed to be doing to 20!) He is making progress, its just sooo slow, bless him.
I don't think I've done anything particularly different with the two boys, I certainly didn't influence DS1 mathematical ability as I was always rubbish at Maths.
I have felt it was worth DS1 taking 11+ as I think he would probably suit a grammar school & is at least 'in with a chance', however I also feel confident he will be fine wherever he goes. DS2 however... well, at this rate I don't think he'll have any chance with 11+, at best I hope he might be average by then, but also he is the one I will most worry about going to secondary school - I can't be confident he'll be fine on his own devices.
I know its very early days for him in year 2, but DS1 was level 3s across the board & there's no way DS2 will be.
The thing is, DS2 is a really creative little boy & he has strengths in other areas, but have I failed him in some way? Have I negected some important subliminal learning that DS1 got??? Love them both to bits, just can't understand the difference
Starmum x