Getting Ready for School
 

Or not.

My son (newly 7) does not like school. As this school year has progressed, he's been showing this more and more...

Lately he would eat and get ready but then when the bus arrives at the bus stop, he has been refusing to board it. They sit there and wait while I put him on the bus like a clawing cat going into a bath. Or walking as slowly as possible to the bus stop (trying to miss the bus - but I just drive him if he misses it so I guess it's just an expression of protest)

This week he has upped the ante and won't get ready in the am. This morning he screamed repeatedly that school is stupid and he hates it, etc, etc. Wouldn't get dressed or eat. Won't sit still enough for me to put his shoes on/tie them. He not only missed the bus but was tardy today b/c it took me so long to wrangle him.

What do I DO???

Re: Getting Ready for School
 

That is a whole LOT of "not liking" school. Honestly, the first thing I'd be doing is trying to figure out *why* he doesn't like school. Is he being bullied? Shamed? Is the teacher an incredibly bad fit for him? Is he bored to tears?

And the requisite "have you considered homeschooling as an option?"

What do his teachers say about how he does *at* school?

Yes to this - there is a reason he is pushing so hard against going to school and that reason needs to be addressed before the behavior will change.

What is going on there that he is fighting against going? I'd try to figure that out and see if he'll tell you. It could be something very fixable on your end or it could be something very huge that requires teacher/principal involvement.

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Re: Getting Ready for School
 

Yeah. My kids doddle, and would rather play than do morning routine... But his reaction sounds like there is significance to this issue. It's not just that he'd rather not be at school. He's putting a lot of physical and emotional strength behind his objection.

It calls for investigation

In the meantime, skip the bussing part. Just plan on driving, and that should relieve part if your stress.

Re: Getting Ready for School
 

He is pretty emotional in general... I get a similar response if I ask him to do a simple chore.

AFA school, he hates it b/c he is bored, mainly. He is very bright. He often breaks rules and at school there are consequences for that. He has friends and his teacher this year is Fabulous. (Last year was an awful match for him). This year has been going better.
He has trouble staying on task and keeping his hands to himself.

I have considered homeschooling, but at this point his behavior is so out of control to me that I don't think it would work.

So you think there is a medical issue like ADD involved?

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Re: Getting Ready for School
 

My son was assessed by a Learning Styles evaluator before we made a firm decison to homeschool and she said he was a kind of kid that is very bright and sensitive and would prob be diag as ADD because wouldnt do well at all to try and sit in a seat for long periods of time. We homeschooled him and sure enough he did really well but needed to be able to move about or stand or do other things if being read to.

Re: Getting Ready for School
 

Very likely. We discussed it with his pediatrician (filled out the screening paper), and we don't feel comfortable with medicating him.
I don't know that meds would help him to like school... ?

Re: Getting Ready for School
 

Just FYI they dont use meds at all in Japan for ADD type things .They use an amino acid called Theanine which is also in Green tea

---------- Post added at 02:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:33 PM ----------

Agreeing if he is bored the meds wouldnt help him to like the dynamics of school.Wonder if it would help him to have some more interesting things to work on once he is back home.Even in a game type format?

Re: Getting Ready for School
 

Have you addressed his being bored with his teachers and the administration? Are you doing anything to help his ADD issues?

My 7 year old is pretty bright. She's in gifted classes and has advanced work and is still bored. I talk to her teacher about once a week, and we come up with extra projects and special responsibilities for her.

There are several homeopathic remedies to help ADHD. I think I've posted a link in one of the stickies in the special need forum - I'll see if I can find it for you. Meds likely wouldn't change how he feels about school, but they might let him better focus which would allow him to function better at school. They definitely helped my middle child enjoy school more. :)

Not riding the bus here means the child pays for my gas for me to drive them. I really can't afford to drive people every day. Unless there's a problem on the bus (and I'll work to solve it!), my kids ride the bus.