WTF kid?!

[fireheart]

I got this gem of a story from bossman the other day in a mass e-mail sent out to everyone.

Bg: the routine for kids in the afternoon is that they come in to one of two rooms in the afternoon: kids up to age 7 go in one room, age 7 or older and they go in another room. The routine for both rooms is identical: they get signed in by one staff member, then they wash their hands, have their food and then do activities. The coordinator is typically following up on missing/late kids.

So one kid apparently went over, GOT SIGNED IN by the staff member, then walked over to the front office and told the school that he'd been turned away from our program. (big fat #1)

So his parents were called. His mum picked him up, then proceeded to chew out bossman and lodged a complaint with head office.

When I hear this, I thought immediately of one of our "trouble" kids had gone and done this out of spite or maliciousness.

I get into work the day AFTER and discover that in fact, it's one of our least troublesome kids. We have yet to discover why he did this, but lately he's been late/absent from the program and we're beginning to wonder if there's something else going on. (He wasn't like this the previous year)

[Sammy7s7]

My bet is that he is being bullied and was afraid to go in.

[fireheart]

My bet is that he is being bullied and was afraid to go in.

That's what I'm wondering and I'm going to raise it with the bossman when I see him next (if his mum doesn't pull him out of the program first...and no, we're not completely heartless bastards, his fees were wiped for the day).
There are a few kids at the program who come off as somewhat bullying in nature and I have an inkling feeing that I know which kids it is.

[Evannah]

I feel sorry for that kid now Definitely something going on there.

[KatherineB]

Or an issue at home (parents separating perhaps?) and he wants to see/be around Mum as much as possible to reassuring himself she's still there?

[fireheart]

Or an issue at home (parents separating perhaps?) and he wants to see/be around Mum as much as possible to reassuring himself she's still there?

From what I've gathered,this is a possibility, but we're unsure.

This isn't the first time he's done it either. He came in late the other week much to my distress, as well as the other staff members distress (we have not lost a child yet!). He came in and said that he didn't think he had to come in today. That obviously didn't work, so something's not right.

(Schools down here also have a "no turn away" rule)

[Shalom]

Sudden, drastic change in previously-normal child's behaviour?

Very long shot here, and of course diagnosis is not within my scope of practise, but does any of this look familiar? Thus far I've only seen about three cases in 18 years behind the counter, but it's always lurking in the back of my mind. Obviously you want to make sure to check out all the horses first (possible bullying, etc.), but sometimes those hoofbeats really are from a zebra.