November 2024 

Remember that school is mandatory. State law (Act 138) requires all compulsory age (6 years-18 years) children to attend school. Easier said than done! Some children have VERY REAL difficulties getting to school. It is an internal fight for many children. Children with school refusal behaviors are having a physical response to the perceived fear. Naturally our brains protect us (fight, flight, freeze) from danger, but school is not the enemy. Our anxiety is over reactive and is the actual enemy.Good news! Anxiety can be managed. We can learn technigues to help ourselves and our children to gain control. 

You see the signs everywhere! In stores, on commercials, in conversation, and in the mail. And you are probably feeling just as anxious as your child for the return of school. Many parents are anxious about the school year starting again, but it is so much worse when your child has school refusal behaviors. It is more than the typical fear associated with the new teacher, new schedule, new classes, and in some situations new school, and new peers. It is facing challenging behaviors, excuses, and the permeating and very real fear your child is facing when thinking about going to school. It is the shame that accompanies the expectation to attend school, but the knowledge that getting to school is so unattainable. It is the desperation for the anxiety to be fixed, for your child to address the fear, fix the problem, to just be okay. It is the ongoing daily thoughts and worries of your own about your parenting, about your child’s future, and the unanswered call for help. It’s constantly worrying about your child and trying desperately to help only to no avail.