Many years ago, when I taught first grade I had a student whose parents really babied him. They would actually carry him to class - in first grade! He had difficulties doing almost everything we did in first grade. He was less mature than the other children, and just couldn't keep up with the subject matter.
From this experience, I learned that parents who expect much of their children are actually teaching their children responsibility and even fostering maturity in them. If we expect age appropriate behavior from our children, we are more likely to get it than if we expected nothing of them. If we teach them how they should act, or how to perform certain behaviors and they don't - they typically receive a punishment. If they do act as they should and behave appropriately we reward them. All of these actions are part of the wonderful cycle of teaching our children responsibility. Fifth graders are ready and able to be given the responsibility of doing many things around the house. Remember, their maturity level will correspond to what you expect from them!
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