J refusing to go to school today

[llisa32]

J's shouted me at 5.50am this morning, I shouted back that you can't get up it's too early and he went back to sleep, he was really tired last night. But then since 7.10am he's been refusing to get up saying he's not going to school.

 

He sliiped in the toilets at school on Friday and banged his side and shoulder and has been complaining on and off about his neck hurting ever since - although it's not stopped him from running around or playing xbox etc.

 

This morning says he needs to go doctors, he's not going to school.

 

I've just now managed to get him out of bed saying that I need to see him walking about to decide how bad his neck is otherwise I can't make the docs appt....I've just now told him no docs available this morning so he'll need to go into school and I'll get him this pm....he then asked if I can pick him up at lunchtime then cos he doesn't like the lunch at the moment - they have different bread to last term and he doesn't like it!

 

They have also been eating lunch outside rather than indoors like last term - a new kitchen is being finished at the school at then from next week they revert back to hot dinners.

 

Can't decide what to do this morning.....I'm working on the basis that we'll get to the school late, I'll explain to the teacher why, and tell j i'll pick him up this pm to go docs, but i'm not sure he does need docs!

 

But he's obs def not liking skool!

[llisa32]

Well....got him to school in the end 20 mins late. I fess that I lied and said the doctor had texted me back to say no appts for today...he then asked if i could pick him up anyway

 

He wasn't crying though, but obviously anxious.

 

I spoke with his form teacher (who's the one new to the school) and she had no idea that he'd been referred to the specialist before the summer break up for suspected aspergers, nor was she aware that the lsu were supoosed to be booking time in his diary.

 

Fortunately she seemed to have a good understanding of aspergers and straight away said 'oh, thank you for letting me know that exactly the sort of thing I need to know', 'and yes he has seemed a little anxious about finding those shin pads etc.' She asked who his favs were in the class and is going to try and pair him up for most of the day today and said she will work with me to see if we can find him an 'easier path' through year 3!

I explained that I was still waiting for that pesky letter, but that I thought just a few 'tweaks' to his school day would make all the difference. - Fingers crossed - told J when I left that if he felt 'poorly etc' to let his teacher know today and she would be fine with calling me to come pick him up - he seemed fine with that.

 

Also bumped into the head of pe dept and told her how rubbish that mouthguard people were, she's going to email them telling them to re-visit as shes had parent complaints.

 

So although it's been a rotten morning it might have been a productive one - hope so

[hev]

hope he has an ok day today <'> <'>

[Mumble]

Oh, what a rotton morning and poor J. <'> <'>

 

His teacher, at least, seems to be willing to help and she might well be your way through to meeting with the more difficult SENCO. You really do need that report though don't you

 

I'm glad the mouthguard thing is being sorted - I'm not suprised from the experience I've had that there have been other complaints. I'm really not sure it's right that children of that age should be doing sports that need mouthguards.

 

A thought with the lunch at the moment - could he be allowed to take a packed lunch - at least then he would have control over the foods - say it's a special diet or something if other kiddies ask.

 

And then with the neck thing - really difficult this but it goes hand in hand with the sensory side of AS - different reactions to pain (under and over) so it will be difficult to guage (and probably also difficult for J to guage) - I've been known to have small grazes that are 'the worst pain in the world' but also to have appendicitus that nearly became peritonitus (excuse the sp) because I thought it was OK - so it's very difficult. May be best if he's still complaining to get it checked tonight - and if it's nothing at least the doc will be aware of his anxieties which might help in the future?

[pragmatic]

Dear Lisa,

 

At least it has been a productive morning ; Having an understanding teacher is priceless and I am sure you will keep liaising with her.

 

re lunch, I agree with Mumble, perhaps having a packed lunch will give him one less thing to worry about.

 

I hope he will feel better by the end of the day especially the teacher is more aware of his needs a bit more now. :thumbs:

 

Pragmatic

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

glad u got him there

great bout hte teacher with a bit of knowledge

 

as for the pain, we have same thing mumble describes ( u are a star), and i leave it till meggzie says can i go docs/hospital , cos if she asks that then i know we need to, cos she cant cope with either.

we have a range of bandages and stuff so if i not sure,she sort self out then we see what happening.

if he still wants to go docs, take him, cos it his instinct, and follow yours too

x

[llisa32]

Thanks guys, I am a little worried about the pain in his shoulder/neck as it is always difficult to tell when he's really hurt himself - he sat inclass once last year for about 4 hours not mentioning to the teacher that he'd caught his thumb in the door and couldn't move it - turned out he had fractured a bone

 

I've checked with docs and they have a kids clinic on tonight so hopefully I'll get there after school before it finishes.

 

I checked with J this morning about having a packed lunch until next week but I don't think he wants one cos he will appear 'different', I'll run it past him again tonight.

 

Have just remembered theres a general parents evening tonight for his class as well at 6pm so little chance of too much work for me today cos my brains just not up for it today!

[llisa32]

Update tonight after school....J took himself to matron at school about 8 times today he proudly announced to me

 

I had to get him to repeat that! ....he said he kept going there with 'tummy ache' and she gave him some minty stuff and just let him sit there <'> J said 'But she didn't send me home though:(...I asked him if he'd actually asked to go home and he hadn't, so I guess they thought they'd just let him see out the day in his own way...when I picked him up though he did seem a bit more chilled out and he did want to go doctors.

 

It was my usual GP and not J's who was on kiddy clinic tonight and he was great with him...he managed to convince him that although he was a bit sore in places after his fall on Friday he def did not have any 'broken bits', he also asked me if I'd had a letter yet from the psych and tut tutted when I said I'd had to chase it a second time yesterday.

 

J has games last thing tomorrow and I've asked him if he thought it might be easier for him to remember things at the end when he has to get dressed, pack kit away etc if I do him a list - he said yes so gonna type a very basic 'things to do list in bold print for him to use tomorrow. Am going to put it in his diary and also put a note in there for his teacher asking if they can make sure he uses the list tomorrow.

 

My heads a bit tizzy at the mo so if anyone thinks of anything I've forgotten to do that may make J's life a bit simpler tomorrow pls remind me <'> he said no to packed lunch so thats off the menu.

[Eva]

Hi Llisa32,

 

I'm not sure how your lunchtime system works as it's different over here - kids either take a packed lunch or else get a lunch order - we write on an envelope what our child wants and it gets taken to the local bakery and then delivered back to the school. Anyway, this is just a thought, could you ask the lunchtime ladies if they could get the bread in that your son likes, just for him? I know it's a longshot, but you never know...

 

I hope J is feeling better today. Hugs to both of you <'> <'> .

 

Eva

[Mumble]

he def did not have any 'broken bits'

Awww, I want that GP!!!!

 

Am going to put it in his diary and also put a note in there for his teacher asking if they can make sure he uses the list tomorrow.

Will his teacher definately see the note? Only ask because if she doesn't it could cause J more stress if he's expecting to use the list and then is stopped from taking the list into the changing room or has an 'insensitive' teacher see him use it.

If it is OK to use (and you're feeling creative!!) I'm a great believer in pictures as well as words. Best would be reduced digital images of the things, i.e. shin pads, but failing that some small image (and explaining to J that yes, you do realise his aren't exactly the same colour and style).

 

How did the parents' evening go?

 

BTW - forgot to add - how did he cope with the 'minty medicine' when he doesn't do mint? Must have seriously not wanted to be in class to take that - lesser of two evils type thing

Edited September 11, 2007 by Mumble

[llisa32]

Thanks Eva, J's school should hopefully be back on cooked dinners when the new kitchen is finished next week so hopefully only a couple more days of him eating odd concoctions - yesterday and today I think he's ate a ton of cucumber, sausage roll, grapes and choc ice!

 

I'm going to take him to school in the morning Mumble and tell and show the teacher what I've given J in terms of his list for hometime (important for tomorrow esp cos he wanted my parents to pick him up from the 'drop zone' so he really has got to remember his own stuff!' - but I thought it was great he wanted to give that a go, and he obviously thinks he needs the reminder - he even told my mum not to pick him up on time cos 'he takes a longer time to get dressed after pe'

 

Bailed out of the parents evening - the portion for info giving to existing parents was not till close to 7pm and I wanted to have j in bath etc by then and really didn't want to run risk of disrupting the evening at all.

 

At the moment I've just done the list in basic font for J, but fairly large print - I haven't used pictures cos I think he'll moan about them being 'babyish' and incase his classmates see.

 

So in the morning I'll remind him where he's to wait for nanny, and speak to teacher, show her the list - the worst that can happen tomorrow after school is that he meets nanny with no belongings! - hey ho, we'll find em the next day

 

I'll also make sure I stress that although it would be great if he uses the list and manages it all, not to worry 'if he doesn't get time, or forgets any of it' - mummy will sneak into the boys changing rooms the next day and find it

 

And he did say the minty stuff was 'YEUCH!...his exact words were 'I'm sure she tried to give me disgusting minty mouthwash!

Edited September 11, 2007 by llisa32

[llisa32]

So much for any positive stuff last nite .......J says he's not going today!!

 

Again he shouted me about 6am...at 7am I only vaguely remembered he'd called, but he'd obs called and then gone back to sleep - then had the raging grumps when I woke him up at just gone 7 cos he was my fault he didn't get up at 6!

 

The first reason he gave for not wanting to go today was sport....he then changed it to everything!

 

Do you guys think it's the sport and huge change with that (diff sport, diff kit, less supervision, changed in huge communual room, having to remember to pack loads of kit back afterwards etc) thats one of the main factors this week?

 

 

Told him i'd do him a note for games for today and then speak to teachers this morning - but so far 'he's NOT going!'

[Mumble]

Do you guys think it's the sport and huge change with that (diff sport, diff kit, less supervision, changed in huge communual room, having to remember to pack loads of kit back afterwards etc) thats one of the main factors this week?

<'> <'> <'>

Probably a whole host of things, some of which he's not able to put a name to like the sensory stuff Flora mentioned earlier. To say 'everything' encompasses the things he can't find a way to verbalise.

 

The fact he said sport first is probably an indication that this is one 'biggy' that he knows there's an issue with and can name (although he may be unsure exactly which part of 'sport' is most worst).

 

His school setup seems to be very very similar to the last school I taught in. With sport, particularly with the change in Y3, it's a biggy for all children (however much they seem OK with it) so it's even harder for children who may be struggling to understand illogical whys, struggling with sensory issues, social contact, communicating when something's wrong, knowing that something's wrong . . .

 

I don't know how similar his is, but our kids had games 4 afternoons a week and particularly on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons they were changing with all the 'big sprogs' (can you call them sprogs at that age? ) - very itimidating for all children - plus on those days if there were matches on there would be kids from other schools arriving, changes to where abouts in the room they were supposed to change, kit to wear was weather (and teacher) dependent and not always clearly communicated - and then there are the communal showers . . . When you start to put it in the context of all these experiences, I would expect a 7 year old to struggle - an AS 7 year-old - just seems horrible some how. I know you're waiting on the report but this is one particular area where the school need to be vigilent in helping him.

 

And that's all before he's got to the field . . .

 

Does he have problems with lacing up footie boots . . .

 

Can he follow the teachers' instructions (Weds & Sat we had the whole school doing sport which meant groups in different areas of the field, some matches, spectators) - is he able just to focus on the one he should listen to without being distracted by what else is going on?

 

What are his sports skills like? Sport was the main time at school were I was agressive towards other kids and teachers. I simply didn't have the necessary coordination and was totally frustrated. I was 9 before I could even catch a ball and invariably when they made me play tennis or rounders the bat/racquet left my hand as I aimlessly swung for the ball I couldn't follow through the air. Teachers laughed at me (I still remember it clearly now), pupils picked up on the teachers and laughed at me. I used to have huge rages but underlying it was frustration - when you can see others effortlessly catching and throwing or swinging for the ball and hitting it and no matter how hard you concentrate to the extent your head hurts and you still can't make your hands or racquet connect with the moving ball it is incredibly incredibly frustrating. Children don't want you in their teams and will actually argue not to have you or if they do get you they'll put you out deep to field - that's it Mumble - a bit further, further, further - right to the edge of the field.

 

Ooops, I've made that sound awful - sorry.

[llisa32]

Phew! - what a morning ....

 

Got him to school on the basis I told him I woulds pick him up at 2pm today which is when sports was due to be (2 till 4 on a weds)

 

J gave himself hiccups thru stress late last night and then again this morning, when we got near his classroom he started to complain about hear palpitations! , I calmed him down and said 'mummy and daddy will help fix this so it's not so horrible, just give me some time and I will def pick you up at 2pm today before pe.

 

So...spoke to form teacher, told her how stressed he was, explained to her (she was out most of day yestreday) that he'd been to matron loads of times yesterday and told her I was going to try and hunt down the senco to see how we could make some tweaks to his week. I then went to see his old head of year, she wasn't much use so don't know y I went there! she just told me not to get anxious cos it will rub off on J - like I don't know that! told her not to worry herself, in front of J i am one chilled out little bunny!

 

I then went and found matron..she said he had seemed anxious yesterday and she thought something was boithering him but he wouldn't tell her what, and because although he seemed a bit down and anxious he wasn't displaying obvious upset - ie creyingetc, just seemed happy to chill out in her room, so she just let him come and go as he wanted. She was glad I'd just filled her in on whats currently going and will work with him on chilling out should she see him again today/near future <'>

 

Then managed to get time with the Senco!who also happens to be head of the LSU. So....someone else that doesn't like labels it would appear. ..but...I quite firmly told her I don't care about anyone not liking labels, he is who is is, and he's having the difficulty's he's currently having becuase of the way he's built - so all the normal kid angst about starting a new skool year but multiplied!. And they need to work with me to fix it else we're going to end up with an 8 yr old refusing skool on a regular basis already.

 

So, J told me this morning the most hated topics at moment were PE, Maths and English. Pe - for all the reasons Mumble suggested, Maths cos they now have to copy sums down from the whiteboard into their book, and then figure them out - before they were given a worksheet to use. Senco did at least say with the dyslexia alone he'd find that difficult let alone any other difficulties with processing into the equation (pardon poor pun!), so she's going to look into J maybe using direct worksheets. English lessons will prob be helped by making sure his 1 to 1 lsu support is re-instated, which hasn't yet been done and she's going to chase it up.

 

She has a meeting with all the teachers tomorrow and J will now be the topic of discussion. I'm happy I've had all these convs this morning but why do they always manage to make me feel like I'm an over reactive mummy!!!

[Mumble]

Lisa <'> <'> <'>

I think you should have some medicinal tonic

Or at least some choccy

And, ok, if it will help, you can do a little Lee dreaming

 

You're doing all the right things - so what if you come across as overreactive? They can give J back to you at the end of the day. They don't have to deal with school refusal in the morning. You know J's having some difficulties and you're working with him and his teachers to find ways to allievite them. All sounds good to me <'>

 

Maths cos they now have to copy sums down from the whiteboard into their book, and then figure them out - before they were given a worksheet to use. Senco did at least say with the dyslexia alone he'd find that difficult let alone any other difficulties with processing into the equation (pardon poor pun!)

:wallbash: This has made me soooooo angry for J. There is absolutely no need in today's technological society for children to be copying sums from the white board. That isn't teaching them maths. It is teaching the kids who don't have visual processing difficulties that maths is boring; it teaches the kids that do have some visual processing difficulties that they're useless because they can't access the work. Lack of access conflates in these kiddies with not being able to do the maths yet the two are completely distinct. I am furious that his teacher is doing this to him (sorry - you know this is my 'area' and my big bugbear (sp?) ). I'm not going to write more because this will turn into a rant - and before any teachers on here get cross with me, I'm not saying all teachers - I'm just commenting on this particular example.

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

glad matron is being helpful

hope it gets better

x

[llisa32]

Thanks all....bin a rotten day and I feel wiped out!

 

Note to self....'try not to talk to your relatives very often!'...my mums verdict on the maths and whiteboard discussion?? - 'well, he's got to get on and learn the same as everyone else hasn't he - can't be treated diffrently!

 

'Erm....mum...he does have different needs and lets move on to chatting bout the weather else I'm hanging up!

 

Just off to go pick him up from school in about 5 mins, fingers crossed his day improved and he hasn't spent most of it with matron

[Mumble]

'try not to talk to your relatives very often!'

That's a rule I have always lived by

 

Just off to go pick him up from school in about 5 mins, fingers crossed his day improved and he hasn't spent most of it with matron

Hope you and J are ok <'>

[MichelleW]

Hi,

 

I haven't really got any advice - just sounds like we're having the same problems. J went to school OK last week but then when he came out Friday afternoon, he said to me " I don't want to go to that school anymore, I want to go to a school where **** isn't at". Seems **** has been calling J and idiot constantly during break/lunchtime ( I also think he is the child that pushed J over last year, but can not be sure). J says that **** needs to learn how to be kind.

 

However, J can misinterpret situations, so I asked J if *** calls everyone an idiot or just J. (Seems it's just J) and has been saying it a lot to J.

 

Monday, I get J to breakfast club at 8:15 no problem at all. I discuss the situation with a member of staff and think it is being dealt with. Pick J up at normal time and it seems he had a good day so I think all is sorted.

 

So Tuesday comes and J refuses to go to school, I ask him why and eventually he tells me he doesn't want to go because of ****.

 

So I finally convince him to come with me to the school so that we can just have a chat with a teacher. The first thing I get when we turn up 5 minutes late is " well off you go to class then" to a 7 year old who hasn't a clue where he is going or what he is doing and is really upset about going to school. So I say "Oh no - I want to talk to someone first" But then a couple of parents kick off outside- over their two kids". So we are herded into the hall and just left - and happen to bump into another mother of a child with suspected ASD having the same problem. She gives up waiting and goes home. I wait and eventually I'm seen by Family Liason Officer who is really nice and takes us to her office and J is then happier and lets me leave him.

 

I then have major tantrum from DS2 who doesn't want to leave!!!!

 

This morning, J didn't want to get out of bed or get dressed. This time he is saying that some classes might be too hard for him. I didn't know what to do, so I suggested if he goes to breakfast club well this week, I'll get him a web cam at weekend. That didn't work, so I got frustrated and threatened to take his camera memory card back to shop. I felt guilty for saying it, but It is the only way I can get him to get dressed, but he is then upset.

 

Family Liason Officer said not to worry about getting him to school on time, and he can always go to her office. But I need to get DS2 to nursery for breakfast and get to work, and establish a routine, both for J and for DS2 who is showing more signs of being autistic. If J knows that he can get off school, he will try, because he never wants to go to school and I know it's all stress related, but I don't know how to make it better for him.

 

His teacher say that he is getting on really well in class, which is so different to what his last teacher was saying. I'm starting to think that maybe I am being over protective.

[llisa32]

Thanks all and Hi Michelle, sorry your weeks not going too great either...for the record I don't think you're being over sensitive I think you're just on 'alert' and rightly so. It may well be that just the kid thats picking on your son is enough to make him not want to go - put your concern in writing to the school so theres a record, and check on progress with your son. If he says X is still bothering him get him to give you more examples and then put them in writing again to the teacher and perhaps head? or senco?

 

My progress for yesterday was:

 

Picked J up at 2, his teacher kindly brought him out to my car, said they'd had some fun outside (and he did have green knees in his trousers to prove it . Got home and just let him chill out with xbox. I decided then to write a letter to the senco I'd met with yesterday morning profusely thanking her for her time, and with a seperate letter outlining some suggestions I thought the school could implement to make J's transition a little easier.

 

J's dad picked him up from me at 4 and I gave him copys for his review and asked if he'd read them and let me know if there was anything he'd like changing - the amazing thing was he was happy with my letter and my suggestions! - considering that thus far he has still not been 'willing' to discuss/accept J being anything other than 'the norm' this was a major breakthrough! - hurrah!!!!

 

I then got a few suggestions from one of my buddys on here for some 'tweaks' to my letter/suggestions, and he was also happy with them!

 

So...stayed up late, revised the letter and suggestions, and had them ready for J and his dad to pick up on the way into school this morning.

 

J looked a little worn out still, but we had discussed with him everything we put in the letter and agreed with him that it would all help to make things a little easier/nicer for him at school.

 

The teachers have a staff meeting today where J is on the agenda, and the letters have gone into the school adressed to the senco, and I've also sent in a copy for his form teacher directly (but 'forgot' to tell senco that - oops

 

That way I figured if she choose to interpret something one way - someone else might at least have a diff opinion

 

Spoke to dad just now - J's gone into school, so I await a phonecall from the senco today or an update when I pick J up tonight - fingers and legs crossed!

[MichelleW]

Wow, you seem to have everything well under control.

 

I had a chat with J's teacher. She said I just need to be strict with him - he isn't the only one who doesn't want to go to school and they all put on tears if they think it will get them off school

 

So I said I am strict - he has to go to school as I have to go to work.

 

As for the bullying - J is just making that up to give me a reason for not wanting to go to school - or maybe he is remembering something from last year! Quote "If you keep asking him why he don't want to go to school, if he hasn't got a reason then he will make one up"

 

I'll see how he is tomorrow and Monday, then I'll decide whether to arrange a meeting with SENCO to discuss what is happening.

 

At the moment I am resorting to bribery!

Edited September 13, 2007 by MichelleW

[llisa32]

If bribary works nowt wrong with that as a short solution!

 

For me I told J the TV and Xbox were off limits unless he would at least try and give me some information on why school's so yeuch....I think if I'd not been working from home this week I wouldn't have managed in the end to get as much info as I did (sorry boss! ..it did take ages and several trys.

 

Ignore the teacher thats making you think you're not strict enough - if you've double checked with yourself that you are then u prob are! - if u know what I mean. With work I am sometimes really busy and do not have enough energy for J some days - on those days he never gets in much trouble cos I ignore most of it - but I do try and tell him 'don't think I haven't noticed' and that you can keep doing it!

 

Have you explained the penaltys of not going to school for your son? - ie point out u can't do home schooling cos u need to work, (else no new games etc), and if he doesn't go to school you'll get introuble and have to pay HUGE fines etc...meaning even less money for new games and so on - I have no idea if thats what happens, but for J the threat of running out of cash and no new games seems to have more impact than saying mummy will go to prison! - he's soo cute!

[llisa32]

Hurrah! - good news for this morning to report

 

J was much more 'chilled' out last night and ate the biggest dinner he's done all week!

 

He decided that he was going to take the half a box of choccies I'd had left from a meeting at work yesterday (I even bribe grown ups into school to share with his class, so I had high hopes we'd go in fine this morning.

 

When I dropped him his teacher asked if she could have a quick word and she thanked me for the letter yesterday and said it was all very useful and she'd taken on board the comments etc, and particularly the copying from the whiteboard. She also asked how she help more with the getting him to take part in stuff at school and is going to talk to the after school co-ord for me to see if any teachers can suggest they might need a 'helper' to J - that way he can join in without feeling pressure to perform and might realise it's fun and not as scary as he thinks. We've sat in the car many many times watching at his request so I know he 'wants to', but fear of 'failure' is stopping him. But if he thinks he's an adults assistant that will make him feel much more comfy - and a little more structured. - fingers crossed!

 

But teacher has just won my helpful person of the week award!

 

And.....I found those flippin shin pads this morning at the school!!

[oxgirl]

That sounds really encouraging, Lisa. Hope he has a really good week. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[MichelleW]

Well, bribery isn't working!

 

I've explained to him so many times why I have to go to work, but it just doesn't make any difference. The only thing that seems to get his attention is if I tell him that he will have to get a new mummy if I don't take him to school. But even that doesn't work.

 

Things just seem to get worse each day and J has started threatening to run away, which he never did before. But I've now got a meeting with the SENCO, though I doubt that will help much.

 

I'll give an update later!

[llisa32]

Hiya, sorry it's not going so well still.. <'>

 

It it worth you getting hold of the person you saw at Camhs (was it Camhs?) and updating them with the issues you're currently having re getting him to school?

 

I spoke to the clinical Psch we saw back in July and she agreed now was a good time to get an Ed Psychologist in to see what else may be behind school refusing and move closer to a full diagnosis.

 

I also spoke to my GP and explained the situation - he's now recomended an Ed Pschy that he knows has experience of AS and I'm waiting to hear back from her.

 

I also put in writing to the school senco and deputy head of year our current concerns and the fact that J was having panic attacks about going into school and finding english and maths really difficult. We've since had a meeting and although they all drove me bonkers at least everythings on record and I feel like I've done everyhing I can do for the moment.

 

J's last school refusal day was this Monday..got him there in the end, and when he was calmer Monday night I explained that I would need to take either some TV or Xbox time away if he did the same in the morning, and told him we are trying to figure out how to make school better etc but again that mum will get in heaps of trouble of J doesn't go to school.

 

Thankfully since Tuesday he's been okay in the mornings, but still really agitated about english and maths.

 

I'd definately speak to either the specialist you saw earlier in the year and your GP

 

Good luck, <'> I know its awful enough seeing them upset and not wanting to go to school without the additional worry of your boss berating you - I am currently wayyyyy behind on my work!

 

Let us know how it goes