[mom2happy]

<p>I'm pretty positive DD is playing hookey today.</p>
<p>There is a stomach bug going around and kids have been going home sick every day. Its a 24 hour thing and from what I hear, a pretty easy one (if one can be easy).</p>
<p>Anyway, DD, who is 7 told me her stomach hurt this morning. When it was time for the bus she was all ready for school but refused to go out and get on the bus. She said she was too embarrassed to go to the nurse if the stomach ache stayed.</p>
<p>I took her temp- fine.</p>
<p>I know you can be sick with out a fever, but this kid is fine.</p>
<p>I made her spend the last 2 hours in her room reading quietly with a throw up bowl next to her.</p>
<p>She is getting really bored and trying to have conversations with me. Accidentally she just galloped across the house to see if I am typing an e mail to her teacher. I just minimized this and looked up hookey on dictionary.com.</p>
<p>I let her read it and she smiled a little and then remembered to talk in her sick voice.</p>
<p>She has never done this before and I hope she doesn't think this is an option.</p>
<p>I'm definitely not letting this be fun for her.</p>
<p>What do you do when your kids do this?</p>

 

[BellinghamCrunchie]

<p>Well, homeschooling is an option for us, so if DD stops liking school, I don't think I'd make her go. It would have to be a consistent dislike, though, not just a one-day thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe you could let her have a "hookey" day once a month that she chooses in advance, and you and her could have some special time together on that day. Sounds like for whatever reason she didn't want to go to school today. Even I have called in "sick" to work just because I wanted a day off.</p>

 

[mom2happy]

<p><br><br>
Homeschooling is definietely an option. She actually likes school mostly though.</p>
<p>I think she might have had a stomach ache, but the anxiety of the nurses office freaked her out.</p>
<p>She is now fine, but wont let me drop her off because she doesnt want her friends to ask her why she is late.</p>
<p>She is  a very sensitive type and Im not going to make a big deal.</p>
<p>I should do the day off thing with her and DS once in a while. The 6 month old is throwing a big wrench in though.</p>
<p>A very cute, fat, juicy one, but it makes it not so easy.</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>BellinghamCrunchie</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1280013/dd-s-playing-hookey#post_16052727"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Well, homeschooling is an option for us, so if DD stops liking school, I don't think I'd make her go. It would have to be a consistent dislike, though, not just a one-day thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe you could let her have a "hookey" day once a month that she chooses in advance, and you and her could have some special time together on that day. Sounds like for whatever reason she didn't want to go to school today. Even I have called in "sick" to work just because I wanted a day off.</p>
</div>
</div>
<br><br>

 

[thefreckledmama]

<p>You might want to make a point of finding out why specifically she didn't want to go to school if it's obvious she isn't really sick.  I had a LOT of issues with attendance throughout my school years, starting around her age.  A big part of my problem was probably social anxiety, and while I wasn't the outcast, I also never really felt part of things.  There was a fair amount of bullying that I had to deal with as well-from boys and girls.  I don't believe my mom ever knew or thought homeschooling was an option for me, but in retrospect, would have been ideal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That being said, it could just be that wanting to stay home was a one-off, and there aren't any underlying issues like I had.  I'm just sensitive to the plight of kids who seem like they just "don't want to go to school" when there is more going on below the surface, and I try to bring that to light whenever things like this come up.</p>

 

[CarrieMF]

<p>My kids have done this now & then(1-2 times a year).  When they first start acting sick & I'm not believing it I remind them - too sick for school, too sick for dance/judo/whatever activity they like that is on for that day.  If they aren't sick they usually have a miraculous recovery & can go to school.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes they do feel better & go after dinner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If she's still refusing I'd let it go for the day & send her off to school tomorrow like nothing happened.   </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If she doesn't want to go now because the kids will ask she should know they're going to ask tomorrow anyhow.</p>

 

[carfreemama]

<p>I think it depends on how you feel about the whole "mental health day" thing. For me, it's really important and legitimate. It sounds like it is for you, too; just not so logisitally feasible. For me, I just have one kiddo and I WAH all day; so it's entirely doable. Dd knows that if she really, really doesn't feel like going to school she can talk to me about it. I've found that knowing there's an option, she's actually much more open with me about what is going on at school, what she likes and what she doesn't. Usually, the "I don't feel like going" days end up with us figuring out exactly what's wrong and she does go to school. So when she can't get to that point or can't isolate something, she stays home. It's only happened once this year and she knows it can't be often. She doesn't get to plan ahead for them and I haven't given her a set number she's allowed. I think it's really taken the pressure off her for school. The only rule is that she MUST allow me to work undisturbed when she's home, except on the very rare occasion when I take the day off with her. Then we have fun. We are a hardworking family, but we are not rigid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, I have a friend whose little girl claimed she was sick at school and she had to come and get her. She missed an important meeting at work and her daughter ended up admitting that she just didn't feel like staying. In that case, the mom was really angry and justifiably there were consequences.</p>

 

[mamazee]

<p>My dd generally loves school.  There have been a couple of times over the past few years where she's said she didn't feel good and so has stayed home, and it's become apparent that she isn't sick.  I think that she doesn't feel good in the morning and thinks she's coming down with something, but ends up being OK.  But even if she just wanted to spend the day with me, so long as it's as occasional as it is, I don't stress over it.  IMO if this is the only time it's happened, I wouldn't worry and I'd just let it go, but if it happens on a regular basis, then I'd get concerned about why she doesn't want to go to school, as a PP said.  It could be bullying, just being shy and not a part of things, that she finds it boring, etc.  There are tons of reasons a child wouldn't want to go to school, but I'd try to find out what it was so we could work on a solution.</p>