Is this concerning to you?

A single parent mentioned one day during a school week that her and her child was going to the gym instead of going to school.
I feel like the parent might be viewing the child more as a friendship/buddy thing than a parent to a child.Why couldn't they go the gym afterschool?

I've even noticed unstructured patterns. The child missing school a lot either due to the parent oversleeping, parent being sick often or child constantly saying they are sick. So I am thinking the child is learning this behavior from the parent.

The child spends a lot of time on devices or playing stationary/subtle games and don't get out often. I've even noticed the child's social skills with other children isn't great that I believe he spends too much time with adults who are not that interested in his device activities than being outside playing with children his age.

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exchrist · 31-35

Thats millenial parenting now?

OpalFlower · 36-40, F

@exchrist Rofl yea where the device is the parent/babysitter.

exchrist · 31-35

@OpalFlower i mean maybe the child was experiencing intimidation or criticism in gym class? And the parent was trying to help their child become comfortable in a gym setting? Thats fairly basic child behavioral psychological acclimation\desentization? No need to judge. My bad.

OpalFlower · 36-40, F

@exchrist We are talking about a first grader here. So a child misses school just to go to the gym? I took him to the gym before during the weekend. I am just saying if he kid gets older he might get the idea that other priorities are important than school and might start skipping school.

exchrist · 31-35

@OpalFlower i would agree it seems unwise especially for a child so young but my parents would have 1 or 2 days a semester they let us kids opt to do something else instead of school (a mental health day we called it). At work you get personal days. Why shouldnt kids get them from school.

OpalFlower · 36-40, F

@exchrist Yes but how many is too many missed days? One or two days is fine but several in a month.

OpalFlower · 36-40, F

@exchrist Also children/schools get plenty of days off. I worked in schools before. So days off from schools due to holidays but also having the child miss more school days....?

exchrist · 31-35

@OpalFlower the worlds a complicated place now the need for a personal vacation or sick day once in a while shouldnt be negated by predetermined school holidays and recesses. I much resented columus day and still do. But its a national holiday. Can it be a floater (an optional transferable day off?). My ancestors were slaughteted by columbus and his men id rather not cekebrate genocide.

exchrist · 31-35

@OpalFlower several in a month so the many holidays sourrounding Christmas new years thats nothing but i need a mental health day Thats the problem? Idk.

OpalFlower · 36-40, F

@exchrist Once in awhile is ok but this is too often. I just hope with this situation it doesn't become another statistic based on truancy.

exchrist · 31-35

@OpalFlower id agree moderation is key. You dont want to use all your leave time so early in the school year. For sure!