Grasshoppers are for the birds

This morning didn't get off to a very good start with the boys fighting with each other and then the girls. I kept telling them to be quite because mommy was sleeping, but the phrase "be quiet" just doesn't seem to be something they understand. For now, there seems to be a cease fire. Who knows how long it will last.

Yesterday, I got a message on our answering machine from my son Z's second grade teacher. He said she needed to talk to me right away and wanted to set up a conference. I called her back and she said that she was going to recommend that my son be held back a year because she didn't think he was ready. I asked her why and she replied that she thought he was too immature and had a hard time with independent work in class. She said he can do the work, but he won't do the work when he has to do it on his own. And in the third grade, most of the work has to be completed by himself and the teacher won't help.

I know that he is capable of doing the work and reading because of how he does his homework. He reads well, and he is good at is math.

I don't like the idea of having him held back. Then he will be in the same grade as his younger brother who is now in first grade. That, I foresee, will cause more problems than moving him on to third grade.

Maybe it is my fault for not being a better father. I had a hard time paying attention in class and doing my work, but I wasn't held back and I did fine.

There has to be something we can do to get him to be more attentive in class and to be able to do work on his own.

I don't want to hold him back, but I also don't want him to fail.