need help--unmotivated 6 year old

[mrsbornkuntry]

My 10yo is one that has to learn things at his own pace, he can't be pushed. When he went to kindergarten he couldn't recognize all of his letters. I tried all of my tricks at home, he went to school. Then he changed schools because we moved and the teacher there said "well all of my students can read so I can't teach him, I guess he can just sit and look at a book while we're working." So I pulled him out. The next year I put him in first grade so he could get tutoring and by Christmas he was reading ABOVE grade level. It all finally clicked for him. I had to do the same thing with addition and subtraction, the teacher just couldn't understand why he couldn't do his math a minute papers as fast as the other kids, she even bribed him. I homeschooled him for another year and caught him up.

Same thing with riding a bike. I tried to teach him, but he wasn't interested even though his friends could do it. This summer he was bored and went out and taught himself. He was ready so he did it. Yes, it took until he was 10, but really it made no difference. And he can't swim yet, even with formal swimming lessons, although he no longer panics when I'm helping him practice.

On the other hand, he writes wonderful creative stories, he's really into cub scouts and woodworking and loves to tell me how a car engine works. I would like for him to learn to swim from a safety standpoint, but I believe he will when he's ready so I just let him enjoy the water until then. I don't consider him unmotivated, I consider him not ready. I just make sure he knows helps available when he is ready.