Bored in kindergarten?

How could that be?  Bored in kindergarten?  Never in my 11 years of teaching kindergarten have I heard a child tell me they are bored!  I have a little friend who keeps me on my toes every day!  He is very intelligent with an extremely large vocabulary.  I greatly enjoy my one on one conversations with this kiddo! BUT, during whole group lessons, small group lessons and independent activities, he wears me out.  He wants to comment on every sentence that comes out of my mouth, his crayons are at war 24/7, his chair seems to sit on ice as it slides all around his area, he's too tired to sit up on the carpet for story time and the work I give him is too "BORING!" So, he chooses not to do it.  I have had many conversations with his mother about his behavior at school.  She is frustrated and doesn't understand why his behavior is out of control.  They do not have these problems at home.  Well, of course not!  He is allowed to be 5 at home!

I can not believe what I said to his mother Friday after school.  I met with her so that we could discuss the newest challenge, not wanting to do his work because it is boring.  She tells me, it is probably too easy for him.  I agreed that it was easy for him, but at this age children usually do not refuse to do work that is "too easy".  I continued to say that he was not wanting to do the work, because he just didn't want to do it and that was not acceptable.  I put it in a way that made it sound as if it was terrible for him "NOT wanting to do his work". 

My goodness!  What has happened to me?  Am I getting sucked into this belief that kindergartners should be ready to do school the way we expect 2nd graders?  This little guy is FIVE!  Of course he is bored!  He would rather be running, kicking a ball, sliding down the slide outside or on the carpet building a castle that his action figures can defend, or a road out of blocks so his cars have a place to race!

It is not a bad thing that he is bored!  It is a normal, age appropriate way to feel!  Is he capable of learning all that I am expected to teach him? This little one, YES!  Should I expect him to sit still for 7 hours and be happy?  NO!  At his age, he is not developmentally ready to sit for that long.  WE are not even capable of sitting that long!!

I can't wait to tell his mom, "Great News!  You don't need to worry about him!  He's 5!  This behavior is expected in my room!"

Fellow Kindergarten Teachers- Are you allowed to "play" in your classrooms?