No, I don't let the kids boss me around, but I have been manipulated a few times. There are somatic symptoms of anxiety, stomach aches, headaches, panic attacks, trembling and sobbing and hyperventilating with snot and tears everywhere. And most times I take her to school anyway, if I can force her to get dressed and teeth brushed and into the car. I have left her crying in the nurses office many times and left the school.

Some days I can't get her to go, she's too heavy for me to pick her up and carry her where I need her to be, and without resorting to child abuse, I can't move her. I suppose I could drag her by the ankles out of the house and sling her in the car, but I have a feeling more than the truancy officer would be paying us a visit after that.

The school officials seem to think I'm one of those absent parents who doesn't know or care where my kids are. The meeting tomorrow was requested by me, as any intervention she has ever had at school was requested by me, they are not offering any help or even attempting to contact me. After the third unanswered voice mail to the office I finally got a call back from the discipline officer stating "I'm calling about your daughter's absences, we need to talk with you." I asked why it took him so long to return my call, he had no answer for that question, instead pretending he had initiated the contact instead of me.

Of course it is my duty to make my kid go to school, but isn't it their duty to make her feel safe at school? Am I expecting too much?