5 year old doesn't want to go to school

[wasuup3000]

My 5 year old had many excuses for not going to school but can't tell me his feelings or to as actually why. He seems happy whilst there according to school. Anyone else have similar.
The excuses I got this morning were:
"I am too Tired I want to stay and snuggle you; I want to stay at home and play on the computer; I have a headache and it gets much worse at school but is much better at the weekends and will be much better on my Birthday; I have a very long appointment that is very far away and I will have to stay off school for the rest of the day; I can't find my coat my head will get and it is raining so I can't go to school"!!

"...my head will get wet"

Same here, with my 6 year old son.
Had to coax & cajole him to walk there then struggle to get him into the playground this morning. Told the student teacher taking in the lines that he wouldn't go in. She said just bring him in... eh? I can't!
So, he's off school today.
Strange aren't they? Mine said he 'had a meeting...'
Can't get any definable reason as to why refusing, maybe tiredness. Am thinking of trying melatonin, or asking if he would be allowed to try it.
It gets a tad trying after a few years of this behaviour.

SNAP. My DS also 5, has been at 'school' preschool, then full days since Jan 2008 and still tells me everyday that he doesn't like school. He struggles too to explain fully why, bu has become slightly more able to recently. I know he misses me, gets scared, feels lonely, doesn't like the teacher, doesn't like 'all the children' (the sheer number overwhelms him I think), feels sad and lonely at shool all day without you mummmy. [heartbreaking]

Mine has just been statemented and this will mean in September he has 1:1 morning funded by school and afternoon funded by LA. I am going to see how he manages in Y1 and if he is the same I am going to consider smaller SN schools. I feel awful awful guilt at the moment everyday when I send him in against his will with this sad face.

He follows 'rules' though and seems to have accepted (with great sorrow) that 'all children must go to school'. Am waiting for him to click that being ill = being off school, hasn't caught on yet but I see that adding to problems when he does.

I meant strange in the nicest sense!

With the election a lot of schools are closed here today but not my son's, when I was explaining this to him his response was 'why not just not go?'

I'm sitting here really despondent; school have offered to help in anyway but I don't know what to do. I don't want to be his punchbag, again, which is likely to be the case if I try to physically 'force' him in. I don't want to do that.

I have my driving theory test booked for early tomorrow morning & wonder if he will walk to school, if he will go into school, if I will have to abandon the test.

I may try & organise other care for him so at least I can get the test done without such overwhelming stress factors.

The joys!

well, DS has worked out that if he is up from 2am till 6am and then falls a sleep, he does not need to go to school, so we are having that 2-3 times a week. I tried waking him up and taking him to school, he just went into a corner and slept through the school hours in the classroom. It's so ironic as little noise at home wakes him up at night. He also does not say he does not like school, but every time school is mentioned he says "no school, sleep with mummy, play with DD" and actually closes the bedroom door and stays in bed.

We home educate. Saves a lot of stress for us

Am somewhat jealous ommmward!
I'm all for home ed.; my son is aspergers & have decided that mainstream, then flexi-schooling, then home ed.
If I can avoid a coronary along the way!
I feel it is worth persevering at my son's young age... just turned 6.

Anyway, point of post, after my son's refusal to go into school yesterday he went today fine.
I passed, rather aced ,my theory driving test, funded by family fund.
Standby childcare not needed, collected him from school, usual Friday rush, home, fed, changed out again in 20 mins to SALT appointment.
Fine.
Journey home...
'I can't wait, I can't wait...' as I struggle to hold him from running into path of moving traffic at crossing.

Jeez... never really let's up does it?

My son is also a school refuser. He says school scares him. He doesn'tlike the noise etc.
I have been reading, can't go, won't go by Mike fortune wood. Quite an interesting read if you can get your hands on it!!
www.amazon.co.uk/Cant-Go-Wont-Alternative-Approach/dp/1905614497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273 298339&sr=8-1
HTH x

Thanks for your responses. I have looked at home education options for my eldest child and am a member of a few groups because she has had lengthy periods of time away from school and it has been a consideration. My son is at last getting some 1-1 support in class and will see what the outcome of his statutory assessment is. It is frustrating when he can't seem to express his feelings.