🙅 Parent Guide for School Refusal and Anxiety 🙅
To Do:Â
Acknowledge that their fear is real: "I know school feels really scary right now."
Express confidence in their ability to cope: "I believe you can handle this, even when it's hard."
Maintain the expectation of attendance: "We're going to work together to get you back to school."
To Avoid:Â
Dismiss or minimize their feelings: "You're fine, stop being dramatic."
Allow repeated absences without a plan for return
Make staying home more rewarding than going to school
Strategies:Â
Practice replacing anxious thoughts with positive affirmations: "No one likes me" becomes "I am an important part of my school!"Â
Pick one or two coping strategies to practice and use at school: deep breaths, grounding, writing a note that your child can keep at their desk.Â
Let your child's counselor know that they are struggling.Â
Source: Blackbird HealthÂ