I don’t want to go to school today...

With the winter chills setting in getting out of the bed becomes a challenge at times for children . However , the show must go on and children ‘have to’ go to school , come what may . For giving into their demands does not solve the problem and they come up with the same excuse again and again .

It’s really nice when children listen to you and quickly come out of the bed to get ready for school... however once in a while , when they feel tempted to continue sleeping opens up a challenge for Mumma dear !

I dread hearing the words when I wake up my little one who goes to pre primary saying , “I don’t want to go to school today.” As he says these words pulling back the quilt and covering himself up , my heart skips a beat and my mouth turns dry thinking of all the drama , which includes screaming and screeching and finally crying ! This is definitely not a very positive way to start your day . So I just calm myself down and start thinking of the unique ways of convincing him to go to school .

Putting pressure on him at this time when he has mentally prepared himself to sleep more and not go to school sometimes backfires and the case becomes very bad . So , I give him some extra snoozing time while I rush to prepare his tiffin and fill his water bottles.

There was a time when my daughter would come up with the same tantrums of not going to school when she too was in pre primary . However , it was very easy to handle her . She would simply get convinced by taking her favourite barbie doll to school and keeping it as a ‘super secret.’ It would become a part of a little adventure game for her to take something to school which was otherwise not allowed .

But with my boy , it’s just the other way around . Nothing can tempt or excite him when he has made up his mind that he will not go to school . So the trick that worked for my girl does not even apply for him .

After preparing his tiffin , I try my luck with the second wake up call ... keeping my fingers crossed . Trying to keep him in a good humour , I talk to him about all the funny things he can do in the school bus . I try my best to convince how going to school can be real fun .

While keeping him engaged in talks that interest him the most like about his bow and arrow or his friend whose birthday is approaching or his favourite bus snacks , I smartly slip him into his school uniform . “One battle won Mumma !”,I say to myself with a smile.

However, this smart fellow, realising that he is semi dressed up for school will still convincingly say, “ I will not go to school, even if you have made me wear the uniform.”

“The challenge is not over Mumma!” I say to myself. With the clock ticking, and the message coming from the school bus that it is about to reach, my heart starts racing ... what if we miss the bus !?! “I will have to drive down all the way to school, that would make me lag behind my schedule. No ways! He has to get ready and that too in time.”

By this time I feel like rebuking him to stop all this drama and start getting ready like how he does everyday. But behold! I know that scolding will not help. Rather it will make him become more adamant and maybe he will start crying, which will not make a good scene for morning.

So, I put on the TV for him, thrusting his toothbrush inside his mouth. At this time when I want him to simply hurry up, he would brush in the slowest motion possible! Looking at him do this , my anxiety doubles ! If he will take so much time brushing then how is he going to finish his breakfast ? So I make him skip his regular breakfast and give him some cookies or dry fruits to munch.

Finally, he is kind of physically ready to board the bus, but still whining not to go to school. Now comes a very sensitive phase ... one mistake from my side and my efforts may go in wane of making him getting ready for school.

I take his school bag and call him outside the house offering him to take his bicycle to the bus stop. In his sweet innocence , he is delighted with the grant of permission to do cycling in the morning. And excitedly comes out for cycling.

So finally, he is outside the house, dressed in his school uniform and in a pretty cheerful mood ( fingers crossed)! “Half battle won ! Keep it going Mumma!” I say to myself again .

All this while I show absolutely no sign to him that he is bothering me to the highest level by saying that he doesn’t want to go to school.

We both joyfully go on our small trek of cycling and reach the bus stop. By this time he is out of his bad mood of not going to school. Besides, he is greeted by his friends which makes him even more happy. When the bus comes he is rather more enthusiastic about going to school. So, I kiss him goodbye and wish him all the best and wave him bye bye as he happily goes inside the bus.

Once again, I pat myself for overcoming this little challenge of sending him to school ... when he doesn’t want to go to school ... that too without much drama.

“Phew ...Well done Mumma” I say to myself gleefully . And come back home , relaxed and with a happy heart :)