January 13, 2022
January 13, 2022
Everyone has moments where they don’t want to do something, especially kids. Getting up early, getting ready, and going to school can seem like a daunting task to any child, and some days will be harder than others. But if you have a child who refuses to go to school regularly, what can you do? How do you treat school refusal?
First, you have to understand why this is happening so you can work to guide your child through it. Here’s what you need to know about school refusal and how to handle a child who refuses to go to school.
Why Is Your Child Refusing To Go To School?
You may be wondering, “Why does my child suddenly hate school?” At some point, they were probably excited about attending school and it was easy to get them out the door each morning. The reasons why they’re refusing to go to school must be understood before you can endeavor to do anything about it.
Try to gain an understanding as to why your child is acting this way. Is there something (or someone) at school that’s causing them distress? Are they trying to avoid social interaction or being with peers? Are they trying to get attention by refusing to go? Is there some sort of reward they’re getting by not going to school?
There are probably a variety of factors that are leading to your child’s refusal to go to school. Until you can identify the main causes, the behavior will continue. It’s vital to understand so you can properly help them address the issues they may be facing.
Is School Refusal A Disorder?
Anxiety in school-aged children is sometimes coined as “school refusal disorder.” It’s often seen in a few different scenarios:
Each child is different and school refusal may not look the same across the board, but common behaviors such as complaining of stomachaches or headaches, or communicating to you that they’re scared or anxious about things that may happen at school, are a good sign that your child is struggling.
In most situations, there may be a change in life that has prompted their refusal, such as a new school, a new home, divorce, a new sibling, or a sick member of the household.
What To Say To A Child Who Doesn’t Want To Go To School
It can be challenging to deal with a child who doesn’t want to go to school, and each situation needs to be dealt with individually depending on your child. But in general, there are some things you can do to help your kid get through their struggles. You should:
Once you know what is going on, it’s time to take steps to get your child back to school as you seek help for any underlying issues at the heart of their refusal. Treating those problems will often require outside intervention, as well as working with the school to ensure that they’re cooperating with the steps you are trying to take.
When your child refuses to go to school, it can cause a lot of disruption, but don’t get discouraged. There are things you can do to figure out what is going on and address it. For parents, it can be difficult to be understanding in the moment, especially if the behavior gets worse or goes on for a long time – but remember that you don’t have to tackle school refusal on your own; you can reach out for help so you and your child can get back on track.
Featured image by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash