Settle an argument between me and DH. He said “most kids hate [primary] school”

[Bittenbitten]

I said it’s sad that our DS doesn’t like school (a reason why we’re looking to move him to another, different type of school). DH said: “Yeah but most kids hate school.”
I said, “Not primary! I loved my primary school.”
He replied that I was usual and that most kids hate primary as well as secondary school.

YANBU - most kids don’t hate primary
YABU - most kids hate primary school

If you don’t love primary you’re pretty buggered in life- it’s the best time in most cases

I hated school. Always did, I don’t think it would have mattered where my parents put me. I had friends, we did fun stuff, I worked hard, but I just hated school.

mind you I’m in my forties and waiting for an ADHD assessment so that might be why.

My son hates school, 3 weeks till he goes back and he's already anxious an work up over it. Every year the same both primary an secondary. I didn't hate or like school, I had to go so got on with it. My sister and brother both hated it with a passion. No where else are you put in a room an expected to forgive or be friends with someone who is horrible or hurt you. If I was treated like that in my workplace, I'd leave an find a different job. Only children are expected to not only deal with situations like this and be friends with people they may have nothing in common.

My son (about to go into Y4) loves his school. On the last day of term, he came out and cried as he didn't want to leave Y3 and his teachers. He is looking forward to Y4 though!

His class all seem to like school and when I see the kids going in/coming out or in the playground, they all seem happy.

I loved school-both primary and secondary.

I think if your child is unhappy at school, it's worth moving them if you can.

I enjoyed my entire school career up until I went to uni - which I mostly hated.

I have fond memories of primary and secondary school and suspect most of my friends would say the same.

I liked it the way an adult likes a nice job.

It wasn't my favorite thing to do and given a choice I'd rather be playing at the beach, or going to a birthday party.

But parts of it were enjoyable and the boring bits didn't outweigh the good.

i imagine most of us have great memories of primary school

i remember preferring school to home, when at secondary

DD is about to go into Y2 and loves school. She's been pestering to go back for a couple of weeks now.

I think you're right. Primary school is usually a happy time for most.

I think your DH is worng to say most children hate school, some will but definitely not most. I don’t see any particular distinction between primary or secondary though, I think a child will either like or dislike school.

I am not sure I would change schools unless there is something specific that is going to be resolved by changing school. He might just be somebody that is going to dislike any school.

It really depends what school you go to. I went to a few different ones - the local school in the UK when I was four was horrible. I was the youngest in the class. At four we were shamed and bullied by other children and the teachers for having accidents/running around/not getting our PE kit on quickly enough/making 'mistakes.' It was just a horrible feeling of fear and dread when I went there - not warm or nurturing at all.

Then I went to an American private school and it was the total opposite. I really enjoyed going to school then. Just a completely different attitude toward kids and learning in general.

I voted that most kids like primary school, but, among my friendship group, there are a couple of children who haven't enjoyed it (cohort just leaving to start senior school). Equal (small) number of girls and boys are glad to be moving on, but, they are also the children who tend to misbehave. One parent is now pursuing an ADD assessment, as they feel failed by how their primary has managed behavioural issues.
Most of DCs friends spent the first 3 weeks of the holidays close to tears every day at the thought of leaving their teachers behind.

It was quite a revelation to me during lockdown with all the reports of kids desperate to get back to school.. I don't know anyone who liked going to school.

I think it's a myth that all children 'love school' my dd10 hates it.

I absolutely hated my first couple years of school, which was down to one teacher who I had for both years. Really started enjoying school towards the end of primary and loved high school

Our two liked primary school and the teachers but didn't like a lot of their year group. They were quite pleased they avoided a lot of them with the change to secondary.

My dc have both left primary school now....they loved it. It was a brilliant experience for both of them.

I liked school, but wasn't a fan of the other children or of getting up in the morning, mainly because that meant having a sharp brush dragged through my hair and being shouted at, hit and having to walk in crappy shoes that didn't support my feet so my legs hurt every single weekday. Which put me in a bad mood, which meant I wasn't as happy to be around other kids who hadn't started their day in the same way.

As I was little, I couldn't express that unhappiness adequately, so it was taken as my not liking school because 'nobody likes school'.

I hated school at the time; I was bullied throughout - primary and secondary - which made it very stressful. I did pretty good exam wise - but I feel that if I had been better supported re the bullying, then I would have had more energy to devote to my studies rather than just "surviving" school and would have done better. I did have some good times at school but they are largely overshadowed by all the years where I spent every minute of the day "on edge".

That all being said, in hindsight, from what I hear of schools now, I'm glad I went to school when I did. As bad as the bullying was, I didn't have to deal with social media and phones etc, the education side was pretty good, as kids we were more independent and I think had more freedom to develop problem-solving skills. Aside from certain aspects of school life that were bad, I think there was the right balance at my school in terms strictness, freedom and building independence.

Had bullying and a few other things been better dealt with, I think I'd have enjoyed school much more than I did.

I loved my primary school days to the extent that even now, at the age of 31, I get really wistful about them, and wish I could still be there.

I didn't hate high school but it wasn't as good as primary. The friends, the teachers, the school, the activities.. I was honestly living the dream, and I didn't even realise it at the time.

My kids primary school is so lovely. Most kids love it. My friends poor wee girl had awful time with friendships in last couple years of primary.

Loved primary school. Hated most of secondary school because I was bullied and unable to achieve high grades like my peers

I think there's a world of difference between primary and secondary. I think primary is much more child-friendly. My son is going into year 4 and can't wait to go back....