My son refused to go to Sunday school (different faith) starting a bit younger, if I remember correctly. Also, I was a bit of a problem with respect to church myself.
I would talk to him about it and try to figure out what is going through his head. For my son, the problem was basically a mismatch between what he thought was fun and interesting and what the typical Sunday school teacher of early elementary kids thinks. In other words, coloring was NOT a fun activity. I tried keeping him in adult services and that sometimes worked, though it brought its own set of issues. There wasn't an easy solution though. In our church, the material in older grades is much more interesting.
I think this is it, they do a lot of colouring in based craft which DS7 has never been into. So it is not that his teachers have not been making the effort, it's just that he does not appreciate activities that the other kids are happy with. Then the curriculum is a two year curriculum repeated from age 4-7, most of which is simple values and church teachings, or scripture stories he has read multiple times. The material will change next year when he is 8 so I am hoping he will participate again then if not this year. This year his class of 7 year olds has been grouped with the 8-12 year olds for the combined part, but as he is now refusing to go he doesn't even know if he likes it or not.
It sounds like you are not from the US? Where are you from? (I'm from the US, so don't know how much of this will be applicable to you.)
We are in Australia.
Does he see the other kids on a regular basis for playdates, church activities, etc. in situations where he will NOT be acting up?
He sees one friend outside church occasionally and used to look forward to seeing this child at church which did help a lot before. They are still good friends but it is no longer enough to make him want to go to class. He happily plays outside with the other children after church, if we stick around, but I am often stressed by his behaviour and just want to get home.
I can't be called as a teacher as we are meant to be in another ward since we moved out of this one, but neither DS or I have friends in the other ward. Also I would not be up to the task at all. I know I wouldn't be able to do the job myself so I am not complaining about his teachers at all, it is DS who just does not fit in with the class/program. I used to help in his class when he was 4, he was already a challenge then but his teacher was amazing that year in keeping him engaged. I found I was a help with another child but DS acted out more when I was there in class. He behaves in Sacrament as I let him read books after the Sacrament has been passed, but he currently refuses to go to any of Primary. I tried giving his teachers some insight about DS after he was tested as HG at 5 and I was all overwhelmed by it all...didn't go down well
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