The holidays are over and schools are prepared to receive students for another academic year.
It can be good news to some parents but slightly unpleasant news for children who try to avoid school by faking sickness, crying and clinging to their bed, or protesting getting out of pajamas.
It can sometimes be a sign of anxiety; not knowing what to expect in school this season. Whatever the cause, there are many strategies you can use to get your ward back to school. Sometimes children want to skip school simply because home is a better place to be.
This is very common at the elementary school age and It’s often just a small step backward in your child’s natural progression toward independence. However, you can help your kid by reducing the fun at home by focusing his attention on school activities.
Finding out what makes your ward worry anytime school is about re-opening is a sure way to understand your child better. Sometimes, you might find out a kid is being mean to him in class or he’s afraid he’ll not make the best grade in a particular subject.
Children tend to worry about such issues a lot and once you find the real problem, talk to his teacher (or school counselor), especially if the issue is bullying.
Better still, you can surprise your ward with the idea of new year shopping for school. Often times when school reopens, it is common to see shopping centers opened with exciting school treats. You can take your kid to this exciting back-to-school shopping centers to crave his desire to learn and go back to school.
The focus is to get his/her appetite for school back and allowing him/her miss being in school even when you don’t have the money to buy all the items he/her might want. This can reduce the fun of being at home and help him imagine the pleasure of having those items for school.
If your child constantly resists going to school or shows other signs of anxiety like nightmares or a fear of being left alone, ask your pediatrician about seeing a therapist who focuses on childhood anxiety. Often, a bit of extra attention from his teacher can work magic.
However, if he isn’t able to verbalize what’s wrong, you can attempt luring him with what gets his attention most. Other than that, treat yourself with the discounts goodies in the ongoing new year back to school shopping on jumia.com.gh.
Source: Ghana/Jumia Ghana/ Elizabeth Owusu Kissi