On telling someone yesterday that I work with children, helping them beat their school phobia, I again encountered some familiar responses.
“But surely there are lots of children who don’t like going to school, don’t these ‘school phobics’ just need to be told that life’s not all fun and to get on with it?”
and
“Isn’t it really about parents who over indulge their children and make home too comfortable?”
NO and NO!
Unless you have been a school phobic, or witnessed as a parent the devastating effect it can have on your child, I appreciate it is difficult to understand.
As the parent of a school phobic you can begin to doubt your own sanity as you fall prey to worry and the destruction of normal life that school phobia brings. You see your intelligent, compliant, creative, friendly child turning into someone you barely recognise on school mornings.
It’s all you can do to hold yourself together, let alone help them.
You know in your gut that there is a real problem here, you just don’t know what to do about it.
You’ve talked to your child’s school, with some success, although they perceive it to be a home problem.
You’ve explored physical symptoms with your GP and they have chatted with your child, enquired about bullying, referred them for a blood test or similar, said come back if things don’t improve.
You’ve trawled the internet for help and tried a few techniques which did help a bit, but still the battles are getting worse and your child is missing an increasing amount of school and therefore education.
You’re increasingly worried about their future and their happiness.
If you relate to this situation, please read the next 3 statements and let them sink in.
Your child’s fear is real.
Having school phobia is not the end of everything for your child.
Trust yourself to know what is right for your child.
Remember:
You are not alone in experiencing this, school related anxiety problems are much more common than you think. There are people who know exactly what it feels like to be your child and can help them.
I am one of them.
I started my business Ground Beneath Your Feet with the intention of helping others to beat their school phobia. I work coaching and mentoring children and their parents and am told that my approach is unique, because it comes with total understanding of this condition, from the inside out.
If you would like to get in touch please do so by e-mailing me so that we can arrange a time to talk.
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Working with school phobic children and their families, I advise, mentor and coach. I introduce people to new ways of thinking about what is going on for them, talking openly and honestly about possibilities.