At the meeting with your son's teachers, you need to find out exactly why he is getting detention. He should also be at this meeting to hear what the teachers have to say and to explain his actions. Hopefully, you and your son will be able to work with the teachers to develop a plan that will improve his behavior and reduce the number of detentions. However, as much as you want your son not to be labeled, it is his responsibility, not yours, to make the effort to erase this label. Your son will try harder to behave at school if you support his teachers' efforts to improve his behavior. You might remove a valued privilege every time he gets detention.
Often, a child's behavior reflects that something besides school is really bothering him. Has your son had any major changes in his life, such as the death of a relative or close friend, or a divorce? How does your son get along with the children in the neighborhood? Does he have a lot of friends? Does he participate in any activities outside of school where he is an accepted part of the group? You should definitely share the answers to these questions with his teachers at the meeting. It is important for your son to get the help he needs to behave appropriately at school.
