It's in the eyes.

There is a certain look that you begin to recognize and it is not a look that I like to see.

There is just something in his eyes that says: "I don't want to go to school so I'm going to look like I am sick."

How he does it I'm not sure how he does it or when he actually starts but it was there this morning.

I turned around and saw it and I immediatly said: You are going to school!

Pretty soon he was rubbing his eye, then asking if his eye was red (Of course you've been rubbing it), then all the way to: I have pink eye and I can't go to school today.

No you don't but just in case I have some medicine for pink eye.

But he didn't have pink eye and I realized that in something that he said.

Me: I don't have money to take you to the doctor for pink eye.

Son: You don't go to the doctor for pink eye.

There it was - he didn't have pink eye.

He continued to say that his head and eye hurt.

So I gave him tylenol.

After that he started the old trick: You don't love me.

Son: You don't love me.

Me: If I didn't love you I would let you do whatever you wanted.

Son: You don't love me or you would believe me.

Me: I know that you don't want to go school and that you probably do hurt, but you have got to go to school.

Now he is a negotiator and it went something like this:

Son: I'll go to school if you pick me up after first hour.

Me: No comment.

Son: I won't go unless you tell me that you will answer your phone.

Me: No comment.

Son: I'm just going for first hour.

Me: again no comment.

Finally we got down to some of the nitty gritty. I told him he had to go because he had to pass art and he wasn't going to if he didn't attend and o his work and turn it in.

And to be honest not only did he have a meltdown but I had one too.

I guess my meltdown was bigger than his meltdown because he told me he would try and stay all do long.

So now he is at school and I have informed all his teachers what is going on.

From my world to yours....

Mary