1st grader with extreme anxiety over going to school

[Jpud606]

Does anyone have suggestions or tips for helping transition a 1st grader from half day kindergarten?  He was excited to start school but after the third day started complaining of not wanting to go.  All I could get out of him is that he is nervous and it is 6 hours.  We are at the point as it get close to leaving in the morning he starts crying and his stomach bothers him.  Once he is in school his teacher says he is fine.  Up until today, I received a call from the nurse that he was in there crying and feeling like he may throw up-hence the nerves.  Anyone been thru this and what worked for your child??  Thanks in advance!

[Jpud606]

Thanks for replying.  He does say repeatedly that it's 6 hrs.  He probably does need adjusting time but I wish I could decrease his anxiety over it.  I was wondering too if he felt too much pressure with the class work load but he tells me no.  I'm not sure he knows what it is other than that he is nervous and it is 6 hrs.  

[Jpud606]

Thank you!  I think that it is the 6 hours and missing being at home.  Definitely trying to make sure he gets at least 10 hrs of sleep at night.  Thanks for replying!

[Jpud606]

Thank you for your reply!  Good point.

[RockRose]

Since apparently he did well in kinder,  and was excited to go to first grade,  I think you might want to look at the classroom atmosphere.  

If he were saying it's too boring,  it's too long,  I never get to play at home anymore,  I'd think these are very typical adjusting concerns.

The fact that he's developed an anxiety that he can express - which is kind of advanced for a first grader - i think you might want to consider whether there's too much pressure on him or if he's afraid he'll violate the rules or get in trouble,  or not do well,  etc.

[jemma116]

There may be an underlying issue at school about something that he does not like or simply that he is missing you.

The other problem may be that he is not getting enough sleep and is too tired - 6 hours is a long time for him to be away from home.

He may be coming down with an illness and that could be another reason why he doesn't want to go.  As he is at school he will be exposed to all sorts of different bacteria and viruses that are not at home.  Thread worms can cause upset tummies and make him feel unwell.  These can easily be picked up from contaminated door handles, especially if some  children do not wash their hands after using the toilet.  Signs to watch for threadworms is an itchy bottom, especially in the evenings.  When he empties his bowels, look at it to make sure there are no visible threadworms.  These will look like thin white threads.  

I went through this very problem when my daughter was young and everyone was telling me that she had tummy problems because she did not want to go to school.  In fact she did have an illness called mesenteric adenitis.  This caused the tummy upsets.  Once this was identified and the doctor treated her with medication, she was then fine.

Just observe your son and keep asking him what may be bothering him about not wanting to go to school and explain to him that everyone has to go to school and that you had to when you were his age.  It may be just a simple thing like getting him into bed earlier so that he is getting plenty of sleep.

Bullying at school is another thing to be considered.  It would be worth talking with his teacher to find out if there are any problems with him interacting with other children.

Best of luck.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, hes getting everything he wants at home and is now having to work for it at school. Try adding some more work ethics around the house so he gets use to working for things. He needs to build his "putting forth" charactor.