Repeated trips to the principal and a growing dislike of school are good reasons to try a different approach. Boredom could explain what’s happening, though you’ll need to investigate. Each child may need something different.

1. Talk with each child calmly and separately about which parts of school feel too easy, difficult, frustrating, or enjoyable. Ask their teachers for specific examples of when things go wrong. Does disruption happen during repetitive work, after they finish early, during transitions, or throughout the day? “Not paying attention” gives you little to work with on its own.

2. Meet with the teacher and, if the school has one, the gifted education coordinator. Ask for pre-assessment in subjects where your children seem advanced, then try more challenging work. If they already know the material, see whether they can skip some repetition and spend that time on deeper problems, advanced reading, or a meaningful project. The [National Association for Gifted Children](https://www.nagc.org/curriculum-compacting) supports this approach, called *curriculum compacting*. Extra worksheets may just give them more of the work they already find too easy.

3. Agree on some practical behavior support alongside the academic changes: movement breaks, a discreet reminder from the teacher, and worthwhile work to do when they finish early. Help your children practice asking for help or more challenging work without interrupting others. You can acknowledge how unpleasant boredom feels while helping them learn respectful classroom behavior.

4. Set a date to review the changes after a few weeks. Compare their engagement, completed work, trips to the office, and feelings about school. You could open the conversation with: “We want them learning and participating successfully. Could we check what they already know and try a plan that addresses both challenge and behavior?”

5. Keep other explanations open. If the difficulties continue, talk with the school’s support team and your children’s pediatrician. Bright children can also have attention or learning difficulties. An ADHD assessment, for example, considers how a child functions across settings and gathers information from multiple adults. Classroom disruption alone isn’t enough to establish a diagnosis. The [American Academy of Pediatrics explains the assessment process](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Diagnosing-ADHD-in-Children-Guidelines-Information-for-Parents.aspx).

At home, make room for play, movement, friendships, and interests your children choose. Enrichment can help keep their curiosity alive, and you’ll still need to address what happens during the school day.

If the school cannot provide appropriate challenge after a serious attempt, it’s reasonable to explore subject acceleration, gifted programs, or another school. Use what you’ve learned about each child’s needs to judge whether those options would suit them.