The demand for wanting to miss school every once in a blue moon is understandable, as naturally, we all have days when we can barely function. However, it is problematic when children are resolute in their hatred for school.
They might fake sickness, or throw tantrums, but they are adamant in their refusal to go to school. It is even more problematic when the outbursts are an everyday occurrence, making the experience even more exhausting.
Some parents might entertain the requests for taking a day off, others might try to convince children with love. Most end up showing sternness in the face of extreme reluctance to go to school.
No matter what approach you take, love or tough love, it can be exhausting, especially when the child starts suddenly decides they do not like school. If it is followed by physical ailments, it is suggested that you consult an expert like the Best Child specialist in Lahore to ascertain if the child has valid pleas for missing school.
Dealing with such cases
If your child does not want to go to school, you should intelligently deal with the requests for missing school. Scolding and punishing them is not an effective strategy.
Hear them out
Your child may simply get better once you hear them out. When you ignore the child and their pleas for missing school, you are edifying and validating their problematic behavior. Therefore, have a proper conversation with them; it may be something very banal, or may either be a grave issue. Once you hear them out, you get better idea of how to deal with their outbursts.
Do not disregard them
If you completely disregard the pleas of your child, you are doing a disservice to them. It is important that you pay attention to what and why they are saying something, especially when it is a repeated pattern.
These outbursts may be cries for help, that your child does not know how to express themselves otherwise. The child may be facing academic problem, whereby they are simply unable to understand the curriculum.
The child may be subjected to bullying at school. There may be emotional or social problems that may also be behind their reluctance to go to school.
Hence, it is vital that you listen to the child, and realize if their problem is valid, and not mere petulance.
Ask them the issue
Your child may not be forthcoming with the issue, due to which it is important that you ask them questions. Ask them if they are being bullied at school, inquire into the classroom atmosphere.
Check if the attitude of the teacher is not behind the reluctance to go to school. Go to the school and have a word with the classroom stuff, if necessary, to ascertain if the environment of the school is behind the recurring cries for missing school.
Check if staying home is more fun
It so happens that once children miss school, they have time of their life lounging at home. Thus, it is vital that the days on which school is missed, home is not time for limitless television and treats. That way, the incentive to stay home is reduced.
May be learning difficulty
Unlike the physical ailments, learning difficulties are not so easy to recognize. It may be that your child has some learning problem, due to which they are unable to understand what is going around in the classroom.
It is especially important in cases where the implications of undiagnosed learning problems in the classroom include scolding by the teacher or ridicule otherwise.
Therefore, if you suspect a case of learning problems, visit the Best Child specialist in Karachi for a proper diagnosis.
