Parents, if your child is having a hard time going to school, it may not just be because they are sick. There can be many reasons to avoid school, like anxiety, bullying, or difficulties with schoolwork.
You can play a big role in helping your child face these challenges. You can help them find solutions that support their social and mental well-being and involve going to school. Being social and having friends are important for teens, and skipping school can make this much harder. Also, learning how to deal with setbacks or issues with others can be a great life skill for the future.
Review the school’s attendance policy at the start of the school year. The policy may be in a school handbook or on the school website. Know how many absences are allowed and how to excuse them. High school often has stricter rules, meaning that too many absences might lead to missing credits or missing sports or clubs.
High school classes can be challenging, with many lessons building on what students have learned before. Many hands-on projects, class discussions, and labs often have in-class grades that teens can’t make up later. Students can quickly fall behind in work and feel overwhelmed.
If your teen starts skipping school or puts up a fight to go, talk with them to find out the real reason why. It could be as simple as having trouble waking up or something bigger like anxiety, bullying, friendships, or trouble with classes. Listen to how they feel, even if you don’t quite understand. You can always reach out to school counselors, teachers, or staff to help.
Going to school regularly helps students do well in their studies, make friends, and grow as people. With your help they can face the challenges of high school and come out ready to take on the world’s challenges.