Punishing a child for trying to kill himself?

[dentydown]

It’s that really. Every morning we are late. He hates school. He doesn’t want to go. I am in trouble because of the lateness. His brother is late as well.
It all came to a head where I caught him poking a fork in a plug socket saying he wanted to die instead of going to school.
What do I do from here? Should I punish him? Should I be nice?
I have spoken to the school about a few minor things troubling him but he still doesn’t want to go. He is 6.

I would be taking him out of school and home schooling him. Please don't punish him. He needs to see a GP urgently. I would not leave him alone either until he is assessed. Poor boy

I do wonder why the concept of doing things, especially such dangerous things, "for attention" is looked on with such disdain. If he is so desperate "for attention", he needs something that he isn't getting. I don't know when "for attention" became another term for "being naughty".

With anxiety, it's often best not to learn avoidance as a coping strategy.
Other schools may well be better but while looking, going to school with them giving better support is a good idea maybe.

My dc''s school didn't necessarily buy into him having anxiety and at 6 he couldn't access much support from cahms but the school.did see sense in letting dc work in a quiet room so he could concentrate, if he asked. The school obv were lucky to have a spare room beside his classroom. It helped.

There's websites with samples of plans schools have made for accommodating anxiety. They might be helpful for working with the school. Teachers often want to help but have to think of the whole class at the same time.