What If My Child Is Afraid To Go To School? – Being Parents

The solution to children’s fears about school requires the conscious involvement of parents. “What if my child is afraid to go to school? To answer this question, we must understand the nature of the child and support him in his adaptation to make a decision that is ours but that he can follow.

This step can cause tension and anxiety, but it is also a first step towards new experiences. It will be more or less complicated depending on the upstream preparation to face it; the help of parents is therefore fundamental.

These fears are common among children who are going to school for the first time. It can also happen to those who have just had a little brother or sister who will stay at home while they have to go to school. The loss of a close family member can be another trigger.

Other causes may be fear of failure in school or of relationships with others ; family problems and bullying are also other common reasons.

It’s not a whim

The child cannot bear to be separated from his parents even for an hour during the day . This is not a whim, but a situation to be paid attention to.

At the start of schooling, the child needs help to cope with a process loaded with learning. His relationship with himself, with others and the impact on his future will largely depend on how he handles this stage.

The child may cry, lose his appetite, be upset, not sleep or become ill. It is an irrational fear of going to school; in the face of this, many parents do not know how to react.

They forget the principles, the guidelines that they had developed to accompany him in this beginning of schooling. Badly managed, this stage can lead to social isolation of the child.

How do I know if my child is afraid to go to school?

What if my child is afraid to go to school? We must first notice it. It can take the form of an emotional discomfort which results in pain, fears or dizziness; it can also be difficulty sleeping, crying and a lack of interest in group activities.

In addition, the little one can start to invent excuses to stay at home.

The symptoms that testify to school phobia are varied. The little one will do all he can to waste time and be late for school  ; he will be very irritable and will not want to leave the house.

My child is afraid to go to class. What to do ?

The child should never feel alone in this process. If he did he would feel abandoned. Affective and effective communication that brings him serenity will increase his self-confidence and stimulate his abilities. One should not instill any fear, guilt or insecurity.

You will make new friends!

To this support from parents, it is important to add a detailed description of the positive aspects of going to class. For example, that he will make new friends and learn a lot of fun things.

Routine and discipline

If the child is afraid to go to school, it will be in their best interests to establish routines. Certain aspects such as meal times, rest and exercise will be necessary throughout this adjustment process.

Parents should try to understand the causes of this behavior. Often the fear of bad grades is one of them ; in this case, the child should be helped with guided exercises or other activities that make him feel safe in school.

It can also happen that the fear or the school phobia is related to the arrival in a new school. In this case, it will be necessary to show patience, to accompany it day after day and to underline its progress in a positive way.

Other fears

The fear of going to class can generate other types of fears  : being alone in a room, being away from your parents, fear of animals, of the dark, etc.

In the long term, this fear can cause serious problems on a daily basis that will require the help of a professional. If the situation concerns a teenager who refuses to go to school, the treatment will be intensive, but fortunately effective in most cases.

Support, understanding, coordination with the teacher or professional help are acts that greatly help the child in a situation of school phobia. Putting them into practice will help him get over this uncomfortable stage quickly.