Things You Can Do if Your Child Refuses to Go to School
School refusal is a situation where children refuse to go to school and miss school more than 30 days a year for reasons other than illness or economic reasons. According to the 2023 report by the Education Ministry, the number of elementary and middle school children refusing to go to school was 299,084, which is an increase of 22.1% from the previous year and the highest ever. How should families respond at home if a child refuses to go to school?
Reasons for School Refusal
There are several different reasons for children’s refusal to go to school. One of the reasons is that there is a problem at school, which include relationships with friends and teachers not going well, being unable to keep up with classes, and club or extracurricular activities not going well. In some cases, bullying may be the cause
Another reason is that there is a problem at home. The problem may be a major change in the family environment, relationships with parents not going well, or family relationships not going well.
It might also be linked to some other reasons; not feeling like going to school without any specific cause, developmental disorders and neurosis, and orthostatic dysregulation (OD), a common disease in children around puberty that causes various symptoms including difficulty waking up in the morning. Some children may have multiple reasons.
How to Respond if Your Child Refuses to Go to School
If your child refuses to go to school, let them talk about their concerns or fears. Make sure to listen to them rather than stressing your expectations on them, getting angry or scolding. Children that refuse to go to school may have decreased self-esteem for some reason and feel like they do not fit in at school. Parents should approach a child refusing to go to school in a way that they can feel like they have a place at home, instead of feeling like they will get in trouble. Furthermore, consult with specialists or support organizations as well as the child’s school.
Places Where You Can Consult About Your Child’s School Refusal
You can consult with teachers or counselors at your child’s school. If it cannot be resolved by that, you can also consult with your local government office, such as the educational consultation center, the children and families agency, and the child consultation center and public health center. They can introduce you to the local government’s approach and support details as well as NPOs (Non-profit organizations) providing support.
These support centers are available for consultation by the person experiencing social withdrawal or their families. They provide support in collaboration with related organizations as necessary.
-Child Development Support Center
Development support centers are available for consultation regarding developmental disorders and provide support in collaboration with related organizations as necessary.
It is important that school refusal problems are not kept only within the family. Use support services available. A child’s school refusal can be very stressful for parents as well. Children will always mature. Parents should believe in their children and patiently support them while doing what they can to support them.