DS going downhill

[whitefingers]

When my DS (7) first started school he was very bright, he was the highest reader in his class and we were told he had the IT and maths skills of a 10 year old.

Now however it all seems to be going downhill, his reading is still good however only with words he recognises, he will not try with new words and has trouble sounding out the letters in order to work out the word.

His writting is terrible, hardly understandable and his maths is now adverage whereas before he was very far ahead.

He doesn't seem able to work things out, he just doesnt think...I don't know if it's lazyness or if its that he genuinly can't do it. For his homework tonight for instance he had to read a short story and then answer a few questions, he started it at 6pm and has only just finished and even that was down to me practically giving him the final answer due to high levels of frustration and a loss of temper from myself.

Basically the story clearly explained that "albert" was very trusting and believed everything anyone told him. It then went on to say that one day "Sid" told his friends to watch whilst he told Albert that his dad was asked to play for England but decided not to as he didn't like the colour of the shirt.

The question was "why did sid tell his friends to watch whilst he told Albert the story about his dad?".

I know he's only 7 but isnt this blatently obvious or am I expecting too much of him? We were sat there for over an hour going over the story and I was giving him as many clues and hints as I could possibly come up with without giving him the answer. "what does it say about Albert?" "was the story about the football true?" "so why did he tell him it?" etc etc and my son kept saying things like "because he likes football?" "because his friends were not looking?".

Should I be concerned or am I over-reacting?

[IamBlossom]

i remember my elder sister and my mum and dad "helping" me with homework, and, when older, directionds to places, and how to do stuff etc. i am not thick, I have 10 GCSES and 3 As at A level, and a 2:1 degree. However, the more they tried to explain, and I could see how frustrated they were getting, the more the shutters came down and my brain refused to compute. I could see how angry it was making them, and that they were making a supreme effort not to get cross and that made it worse and it was as if my brain refused to understand. i think we all gave up in the end on several occasions. I don't know if this helps, and I know that it doesn't really explain the school problem, or maybe it does..........just my experience. maybe back off a teeny bit and let him do it his way??