School-Aged Children

Mommy, I don't feel good?

No matter how many times I explain the story of the boy who cried wolf, I cannot get DD to knock it off with this complaint. Every single day this week she has complained of one ailment or another - and she is NOT sick I promise you. I'm trying so very hard to remain level headed and loving but firm on the phone when she calls me at work or when she complains in the morning before school.

Near as I can tell, she is not having any difficulties either at school or the after-school care program so I have no idea what is prompting her to continue with this even though she sees me not falling for the bait.

Anyone else dealing with this? How do you handle these situations? I'm just frustrated and worried that one day she really WILL call me sick - and I won't be able to believe her until she is picked up at the normal hour.

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Re: Mommy, I don't feel good?

  • My DD never pulled this, but my DS is a mastermind at phantom medical complaints.  He likes school, and in the afternoon he always talks about how he had a good day.  But he does NOT like to get moving in the morning, and he tries this tactic at least once or twice a week.

    I just nipped it in the bud by letting him know that he can only stay home if:

    --he has a fever of over 99.5... or...

    --he has barfed or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours... or...

    --he has white spots on his throat.

    By letting him know that the decision will be made based on things I can observe, rather than on what he says, it makes for less of a hassle.  He still complains about "not feeling good" but I just run through these symptoms, and he says, "FINE -- I'll get dressed."

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • Oh, my son does this everyday before school.  It drives me crazy.  My son loves school and wants to be active during the day but has a hard time getting going in the morning so will start complaining.  What I had to do was put him to bed a little earlier at night so he would be more awake and active a little bit before leaving for school.  Also ask her why she says that and if there is a problem.  Communication is best and you will find out a lot if you start talking.
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  • imageMyaMaternity:
    Oh, my son does this everyday before school.  It drives me crazy.  My son loves school and wants to be active during the day but has a hard time getting going in the morning so will start complaining.  What I had to do was put him to bed a little earlier at night so he would be more awake and active a little bit before leaving for school.  Also ask her why she says that and if there is a problem.  Communication is best and you will find out a lot if you start talking.

    Check, check and triple-check. She goes to bed at 8pm and we wake her at 6am so that she has plenty of time to catch the bus at 7am - she moves slow in the morning and needs that extra time. I'm pretty certain with the after-school program she is bored or doesn't want to do whatever activity is lined up for them. Which frustrates me since I know they work hard to keep them entertained. And then again, she sometimes calls as soon as she arrives at the center wanting to know when she is being picked up or complaining that she doesn't feel well.

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  • My child did this once while with a sitter, I left work and picked him up only to have him run up to me and say just kidding. I was not happy. Basically, he spent the rest of the day as if he was sick. Laid in bed couldn't play had toast for meals. He never did it again.
  • imagecrazynervous:
    My child did this once while with a sitter, I left work and picked him up only to have him run up to me and say just kidding. I was not happy. Basically, he spent the rest of the day as if he was sick. Laid in bed couldn't play had toast for meals. He never did it again.

    ::Lurker butting in::

    Each one of my kids has "played possum" at least once.  I mad them stay in their rooms in bed with no tv, music, video games.  They were allowed books and a few toys but anything  very exciting was deemed "too stressful for someone who is sick".  They also ate  "invalid food".  They got so bored they didn't  fake sick again.

    ::lurker butting out::

    dd(Brianna) 11/01/94, ds(Bram)10/17/95, ds(Jesse)9/26/97, dd (Annie Ruth) 7/27/05 5mc Jan '08, May '08, Feb '09, Sept '09, Apr '11 "And can it be that in a world so full and busy, the loss of one weak creature makes a void in any heart, so wide and deep that nothing but the width and depth of vast eternity can fill it up." - Charles Dickens

    PAL/PGAL Welcome

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