My son has made a friend who is also a school refuser!
Everyone, my son has made a friend at school.
And what's more, it's a classmate who is going through the same struggles as him. My son has
made a friend who is a school refuser.
Of course, it's O-kun, whom I wrote about in my previous post.
After I wrote that post, I was able to successfully connect with O-kun's mother on LINE. (Though we haven't been able to meet in person yet.) Since then, we've been messaging each other quite often.
After the three-day weekend, both my son and O-kun chose not to go to school. Then, when I went to school today, O-kun had come to the support room early in the morning, which is rare for him. He said to me, "What time is Chabo-suke leaving today? I'm planning to stay until about 11:30... I'll leave when Chabo-suke leaves!"
Oh my, O-kun!!!
That is just so adorable. Alright, alright, I won't go to pick him up until 11:30 today!
It's okay! You two have a great time playing together!
I went home and immediately sent a LINE message to O-kun's mother.
I also casually mentioned, "You are always welcome to have O-kun come over to our house to play anytime."
Then...
I received this message from O-kun's mother.
Since my son started refusing to go to school, he hasn't been able to find the courage to go out and play. Even so, he once tried his best and played with a friend who came to invite him.
At that time, he was surrounded by several girls who took photos of him and said, "You're just skipping school!"
Since then, he hasn't been able to go outside when everyone else is around.
Hey, what do you think?
Don't you think this is a heartbreaking experience for a child who is refusing to go to school?
Well, of course, from the perspective of children who are attending school, it might look like "skipping school." But for children who are too sensitive and refusing to go to school, it becomes an unforgettable event that can even be traumatic.
O-kun, who found it so hard to go outside, is now trying his best to come to school on the same days as my son. I'm just so happy about it.
I don't really understand my son, but there are times when people strangely gather around him.
It's not like he's a chatterbox just because he's my child, and he's not particularly funny either. When it comes to comedy, he still has a lot to learn! (laughs)
He's really laid-back and easygoing.
He's the type who doesn't reject those who come and doesn't chase those who leave. He doesn't aggressively try to meet people like I do, and he's always in a passive stance.
But, and this might just be me being a doting parent, perhaps he is the kind of person whose presence is somehow healing to be around.
Just the other day, a friend who was exhausted from all the tests and was staying home from school called my son, who was probably bored from not going to school. They played Fortnite online together.
Surely, from that friend's perspective, my son might be a source of healing. The friend, who seemed to be relieved from the daily stress of school by playing with my son, apparently went back to school the next day.
Well, my son has a style of going when he wants to go though.
My son says, "Hey, praise me! I went to school for two hours!" as if it's nothing.
He also said with a smug look, "Praise me for today too! I didn't watch YouTube even once!" but instead, he was watching One Piece on Netflix like crazy! He's a boy full of things to tease him about.
I mean, he says, "Hey, isn't that amazing? Praise me!" but I always want to retort, "Is that really something worth praising?"
Well, that's my son for you...
But maybe these traits are also one of the reasons why he is loved by his friends.
Anyway, my son and O-kun are getting along well in the support room. When I go to school in the morning and the teacher says, "Chabo-suke's best friend is here too," he quickly runs to the classroom where O-kun is waiting.
When I go to pick him up, O-kun and my son come running down the stairs together, full of energy.
Saying "See you later, bye-bye," O-kun leaves energetically.
I received a LINE message from O-kun's mother saying, "I'm so happy that the day has come where he can spend time with a friend at school again..."
For O-kun's mother and me, just the fact that they are playing with a friend at school is a miracle.
Starting in April, my son and O-kun will be in the sixth grade.
It will be their final year of elementary school. I wonder what kind of year awaits them. It might be a different experience from everyone else around them, but I hope they do their best in their own way.