School Issues

Schooling is one of the most challenging issues faced by children and parents. While there is currently a lot of attention being paid (and rightly so) to the impact of bullying, there are many other issues that are part of the school experience, which have a significant effect on our children's wellbeing.

Signs To Watch For:

Fall in academic performance.
Lack of motivation / interest for school-related activities.
Complaining of being bored and not challenged by school work.
Reports of attention-seeking or problem behaviours.
Frequent detentions.
The child talks about himself as "dumb".
Discomfort or embarrassment when the topic of school is raised.
Failure to regularly complete homework.
Reluctance to talk about anything to do with school.
Difficulty concentrating, listening or sitting still in school.
Poor relationships with peers and teachers.
Regularly becoming sick at school time.
Refusing to go to school.

What Can Result From These:

Poor self-esteem.
Lack of confidence.
An increased risk of dropping out or exiting school early.
A child can be labelled as "slow", "lazy", "trouble maker" etc. They can accept the label and live up to it.
Difficulty in developing a sense of belonging: this can hold the child back from involvement with family, or from building friendships.
Depression and anxiety.

What Can You Do To Help?

Build and maintain a strong, ongoing relationship with your child's school, not just when there are difficulties. Staff are much more responsive to parents whom they see as being allies.
Talk regularly with your child about school and really listen to them.
Refuse to allow your child to accept belittling and unhelpful labels.
Rule out the possibility of learning difficulties or disabilities which may be interfering with your child's learning.
Give your child intentional practice at communication and social skills.
Investigate if specific things such as subjects or teachers can be changed, if they trigger problems.
Help your child to address personal habits, qualities or behaviours which may alienate others.
Ensure your child is not overloaded with too many extra-curricular activities, which could drain their energy.
Provide resources at home which will help support your child's learning.
Supply whatever support your child may need to cope with personal or family problems. Counselling may be a valid option.
Limit the hours of work your child does outside of school, or the responsibilities they take on in the home.
Guard their physical health - make sure they get a healthy diet, enough sleep and exercise.
Limit the amount of time your child spends on activities which keep them isolated (especially video and computer games).
Stay in touch with your child's rights as well as the school's expectations.

We can frequently feel overwhelmed when our child is going through a tough time. Even if they don't want to attend counselling, it can be a valuable tool for helping you address your own anxieties as well as gaining insights into how best to support your child.

For help in dealing with school-related issues, contact Alli at Point Of Change Counselling and make an appointment.