Listen and understand
The most important thing is to try to understand why your child doesn’t want to go to school. Make time to talk to them about it and listen to what they have to say. Try your best to leave any tension or frustration you are feeling out of the conversation. If your child feels they are being told off it will be harder for them to open up.
Acknowledge what your child has told you. You could try phrases like “That sounds really hard” or “We’ll get through this together”. Making sure your child is heard helps them feel respected and valued.
Be patient. Your child might not have the words to explain how they’re feeling. Let them know that’s OK and that can figure it out together.
Be practical
Depending what your child is feeling, it can help to think about practical things that can reassure them.
If your child is feeling anxious or worried about getting sick you can talk to them about the steps you and their teachers are taking to keep them safe. Let them know lots of people are working very hard to help things get better. You can find all the latest advice to stay safe on the Scottish Government website.
Getting prepared for the practical things can help your child feel more prepared emotionally. You could go through your morning routine, help them pack their bag or plan lunches together.
Older children will be aware of the wider changes happening in the world. Seeing news about exams and job losses might be making them feel disheartened about the future and less interested in school. Be honest with them that there is a lot of uncertainty for everyone right now and none of us know where we’ll be in a year’s time. Explain that one thing we do know is that school and education will continue to be important, whatever the future holds.
Remind your children how much they’ve already gone through and how strong they are. Acknowledge that it’s been hard and let them know you are always there for them.
Take a moment to remind yourself how much you’ve been through too. This is another challenge your family can overcome.
Share your feelings
Talking things through with someone else can make all the difference. No parent has all the answers and getting another perspective can really help. If there’s an issue happening at school you can speak to your child’s teacher.
Children 1st Parentline can give you the time and space to think things through. Call us and start a webchat and we can make a plan to help your child get back to school.
