Q: I am a working mother of a 2 and half years old son. He started going to pre-school when he was 2. In the beginning he would cry, but he got used to it and started loving school. He used to be very excited about going to school. But from last few days he is avoiding it. He says he doesn't want to go to school. For 2 days we forced him and he went to school crying, but didn't cry after he was in the class. But today morning as soon as he got up he started crying till he became breathless. He told me that he doesn't want to go to school. We didn't force him and I told him that its ok if he does not want to go. After some time he was normal and started playing. A few days back he was saying that some girl in his class had beaten him, due to which he doesn't want to go. I don't know how true this was and I enquired with his class teacher who said that he is normal in the classroom. The teacher said that, may be he feels lazy to get up early morning in winters to go to school. How do I make him interested in going to school?

A:Sometimes children do bully other children. Your son may well be scared of a classmate. Try and reassure him and ask the teacher to look out for any problem. I do not think that his crying is because he is lazy to get up early. In any case, you might just wait till it gets a bit warmer. He is so young. Please do not treat him as a 'school child', simply because he goes to Preschool. He will want to go to school, because there are more friends to play with. Convince him playfully and with affection and he will begin to like school. Everything takes time and patience.