DS has gone into school in floods of tears and I have come home and had a good cry :o(

[boredandrestless]

Poor DS

I hate seeing him so upset. He was asking to stay with me and I felt so cruel sending him in. He was all upset because scooters have been banned from the school playground. He burst into tears when he couldn't go out the door with it, had to calm him down slightly and get him in his maclaren major, and then he dissolved into floods of tears again at going into school time.

He loves his scooter and does all local, familiar journeys on it, mainly school (we only live round the corner).

He is on his fourth, identical to the previous one, 3 wheeled, light up scooter.

It helps him be a little more independent, a little more confident (he's not a confident runner), and has helped with the transition from home to school (he's not fond of school at the best of times). Any other journeys I have to strap him into his major - which is what I had to do this morning.

This change has been a huge step back, he's now saying he hates school again and that he only wants to be with me.

Poor wee fella, and how awful for you to have to leave him at school after such distress, but is there no way he can ride the scooter too school and then dismount as he gets to the playground?

It was awful JaneMare, when he was in the foundation stage he cried like this going in everyday (he hated the freeplay, non structure of it all, and has settled down in Yrs 1 + 2 where the day is more structured).

It brought back all those feelings of worry and guilt I had back then.

Riding scooter to playground then dismounting would just result in him being upset when he had to come off it I think. He's very all or nothing. So upset for him.

i understand, i was clutching at straws on your behalf {{{hugs}}}

Social story?

I love riding my scooter. I'm very good at riding my scooter. Lots of children like riding scooters.

Some places are ok for riding scooters, like the park. Some places I have to be careful riding my scooter, like the pavement. When there are smaller children, they might run in front of me on my scooter. Thus makes it dangerous to ride my scooter. The school playground is one of these pkaces.

I can ride my scooter from my house to the school gate. Then Mummy or Daddy will look after it for me. In the afternoon Mummy or Daddy will bring it so I can ride home.

Apologies for typos, am on a tablet and just lost my job! Hope this helps??

I appreciate you trying thanks.

It seems like such a small thing to most families - other kids probably shrugged their shoulders and headed out the door. This small change to his daily routine is going to have a huge knock on effect. I'm in for an emotional week.

oops cross posted there Purple. Thanks for S Story, will use it as a guideline I think to try and get some sort of positive scooting message across. The scooting to the school gate just won't work though, he will just get upset every time he has to come off it, he's really attached to it!

sorry about your job!

It's his reward for being goid in school all day, so for him it's a huge thing. Does he have a ta, maybe rejig the story to suit and get it in to school so they can read it with him a few times, then meet him at the gate with the scooter?

can you take it to him when you got to pick him up, and have an extended journey home (although some days an extended journey home for DD is enough to send her over )

The story is the prep work for having to get off earlier than he's used to if that kind of thing works for him. If he knows that's what will happen it's less if a shock and hopefulky less if an emotional drama?

Could it be carried in the pkayground to the office and stored for him for the day? At least for a few days to get used to the idea? It's obviously a comfort item for him...

Hi sorry went off to make a cuppa! Thanks both of you for your support and ideas, I really appreciate your posts.

I'm going to mull over the options regarding taking it to school. I think involving it in the morning routine when he can't ride it in the playground just won't work for him. It is a kind of comfort item for him yes, in the same way his maclaren major is a safe place, he seems to view his scooter in a similar kind of way too.

I'm currently thinking of bringing it for him at the END of the school day and using it as a reward for getting through the day. He's been all emotional at school since going back after xmas (his TA told me this on friday after school).

I feel so so guilty for sending him there knowing he is so unhappy. This has become more about school than the scooter for me I think.

Good idea, use it as a reward. Part of life skills is learning to do things we don't like so unless he hates it because they are making it horrible, I would encourage him any way you can. Awful when he's upset but necessary