With just a few minutes left before school was to start, my six-year-old, Dustin, was crying.
With
just
a
few
minutes
left
before
school
was
to
start
,
my
six-year-old
,
Dustin
,
was
crying
.
"I don't want to go," he said.
``
I
do
n't
want
to
go
,
''
he
said
.
Ever since he'd entered first grade, he had hated school.
Ever
since
he
'd
entered
first
grade
,
he
had
hated
school
.
What's going on?
What
's
going
on
?
If he hates school this much now, how bad will it be later on?
If
he
hates
school
this
much
now
,
how
bad
will
it
be
later
on
?
Every kid sometimes complains about school.
Every
kid
sometimes
complains
about
school
.
But five to ten percent of kids dislike it so much they don't want to attend.
But
five
to
ten
percent
of
kids
dislike
it
so
much
they
do
n't
want
to
attend
.
"If a child seems worried or anxious about school, pretends illness to stay home, or refuses to talk about things of the school day, you should be concerned," says a school psychologist, Michael Martin.
``
If
a
child
seems
worried
or
anxious
about
school
,
pretends
illness
to
stay
home
,
or
refuses
to
talk
about
things
of
the
school
day
,
you
should
be
concerned
,
''
says
a
school
psychologist
,
Michael
Martin
.
Fortunately, you can usually solve the problem--sometimes very easily.
Fortunately
,
you
can
usually
solve
the
problem
--
sometimes
very
easily
.
In our case, my husband and I visited Dustin's class and noticed that the teacher, just out of college, called only on kids who sat right under her nose.
In
our
case
,
my
husband
and
I
visited
Dustin
's
class
and
noticed
that
the
teacher
,
just
out
of
college
,
called
only
on
kids
who
sat
right
under
her
nose
.
Dustin, who often sat near the back, was ignored.
Dustin
,
who
often
sat
near
the
back
,
was
ignored
.
We simply told him to move up front.
We
simply
told
him
to
move
up
front
.
He did, and he was happy again.
He
did
,
and
he
was
happy
again
.
With just a few minutes left before school was to start, my six-year-old, Dustin, was crying. "I don't want to go," he said. Ever since he'd entered first grade, he had hated school. What's going on? If he hates school this much now, how bad will it be later on? Every kid sometimes complains about school. But five to ten percent of kids dislike it so much they don't want to attend. "If a child seems worried or anxious about school, pretends illness to stay home, or refuses to talk about things of the school day, you should be concerned," says a school psychologist, Michael Martin.  Fortunately, you can usually solve the problem--sometimes very easily. In our case, my husband and I visited Dustin's class and noticed that the teacher, just out of college, called only on kids who sat right under her nose. Dustin, who often sat near the back, was ignored. We simply told him to move up front. He did, and he was happy again.