Maybe you’ve been concerned your child is dealing with challenges at school that they aren’t ready to talk about. But you’re not sure if your suspicions are correct, or if you’re overreacting. Your child’s teacher might not have reached out to you, and perhaps your child hasn’t had any disciplinary issues in the classroom. Yet even if the school hasn’t gotten in touch with you about any specific issues, your intuition as a parent is telling you that something is wrong.
Sometimes, it can take a while for a teacher to notice that a child is struggling. Since you know your child best, you might pick up on the problem long before they do. Here are a few common warning signs that your child might be having trouble in school.
General Stress and Anxiety
Your child may be acting stressed or anxious. However, everything at home seems quite normal. Your household routines are the same, your marital status has not changed, your family is not grieving any losses, and you’ve lived in the same neighborhood for quite some time with no plans to move.
Everything is proceeding as usual, but your child is still struggling. If your child is not experiencing any instability in their home life, yet they seem like they’re always on edge, there’s a good chance the problem is occurring at school.
Declining Grades
When a child is coping with problems at school, their grades will often decline. This can hold true even if they have not had academic difficulties in the past. You may have even noticed that your child’s grades have slipped in subjects that they previously enjoyed and excelled at.
The root of these academic issues is not always a lack of understanding of the subject. Instead, your child might be distracted due to bullying or a fallout with a friend.
Attempts to Avoid School
Has your child tried to resist going to school? Maybe they’ve attempted to feign illness or injury to avoid going. Your child might be dragging their feet in the morning or regularly putting up a fight when the alarm goes off.
They may have asked you to pick them up early. It’s normal for kids to feel excited for the weekend when they get home on a Friday, but your child may seem particularly relieved. Their mood often takes a turn for the worse when Sunday evening rolls around.
Acting Withdrawn
Your child may have a tendency to run straight into their room when they get home from school. When you knock and try to ask them about school, they might give a half-hearted answer just to appease you.
Then, they retreat back into their room. If you pick them up from school, you might wonder why they’ve stopped chatting with you about their day on the drive home. Perhaps you’ve become accustomed to riding home together in silence. You miss the conversations you used to have.
Outbursts and Tantrums
If your child is having a rough time at school, they might be holding in their emotions all day until they get home. When they finally arrive, they may be prone to tantrums and outbursts.
You might worry that you did something wrong. But it’s unlikely that you’re the source of your child’s frustration. Instead, they feel comfortable “acting out” around you, so they wait until they’re home to express the feelings they’ve been suppressing at school.
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If you’re concerned that your child is facing challenges at school, and you’re not sure what to do next, contact our practice to learn more about our child counseling services or schedule an appointment.