What to Do When Kids Refuses to Go to School
It’s hard for parents when their kids refuse to go to school. There are lots of reasons why kids have this term called “school refusal”. One is,they maybe scared that they won’t leave the house or they maybe scared that their parents will leave them behind. This kind of fear is very common to children ages 5-6 years old yet it can start at any age. School refusal can lead to serious problems to kids as they grow up. So it’s better for parents to know some tactics or strategies on how to manage this.
So, what to do when kids refuses to go to school? Check out the steps below.
1. Check for physical causes. If your child is complaining of physical symptoms, have her checked by a physician. It’s unlikely that anything is physically wrong with your child, but you don’t want to make that assumption and later find out you’re wrong.
2. Talk with your child. Talk about what’s bothering her, while at the same time making it clear that a plan will be made to return to school. Keep in mind, though, that some children can’t describe what is bothering them. Don’t force conversation if it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The most important message to convey is this: you believe your child can conquer this problem, and you’ll be there to help her through it.
3. Don’t lecture. Avoid lengthy discussions and debates about the importance of going to school. Lecturing won’t do any good, and it may actually make matters worse. Any attention, even negative attention, can reinforce and maintain a problem.
4. Play detective. Look for patterns of when your child complains of illness. Does he wake up with a stomachache or headache? Does he complain of these things when he’s busy and distracted? Does he feel ill on Saturdays? Be objective and play detective. Do this in a low key, non-accusatory way; there’s no point in putting your child on the defensive. Look for clues as to what is causing your child to avoid school.
5. Set up a conference. Both parents should meet with the teacher and/or the school counselor. This sends the message to the school that you’re involved and committed to working on the problem.
6. Keep an open mind. Don’t assume the teacher or the school has done something wrong. Similarly, teachers should not assume the problem lies with the parents. When stress levels are high, it’s natural to want to point the finger and blame someone, but it doesn’t do much to solve the problem. It’s important to make sure that any reality-based fears, such as bullying, are addressed and corrected.
This article is curated from childmind.org
Note: If you see your child struggling with anxiety or depression, it’s better to seek a medical professionals for support.
It’s best practice to monitor your child’s behavior as soon as you can. Because the longer the child misses school would be harder to get him/her back in the routine.
