Child Refuses to Come to School? Know the 4 Causes, Parents!

School is the most fun place for some children because they can meet friends while playing and
learning. But there are also children who feel that school is not a comfortable place for them.
When they don't want to go to school, children usually don't want to get ready to go to school.
When uniforms and breakfast have been prepared, children usually just stay silent or even cry.
Not only before going to school, sometimes children still want to get ready to go to school but
refuse to go to class when they are in front of the school gate. Surely parents will ask "what is the
cause?"
Children who do not want to come to school have several reasons. What is it? Let's see them one
by one, okay?
1. Avoiding school situations in general or because of negative experiences at school
The general school situation can be a stressor for children. For example, class conditions that are
too hot or too cold trips to school that is jammed and make children bored, teachers who
according to children are very fierce will teach that day, boring lessons, or even negative
experiences such as bullying experienced by children. These things can be the cause of children
not wanting to go to school. Children feel anxious, worried, or even afraid because they have
imagined negative things will happen to them that day.
When experiencing this, not all children want to tell stories because they are also worried about
the response of their parents. So, if the child does not want to come to school, perhaps avoiding
the school situation for general reasons such as lessons and teachers or even an indication of
bullying could be one of the causes.
2. Get away from social situations at school
In addition to boring lessons or teachers who are not fun for children, social situations at school
are also things that can make children not want to come to school. Initiating conversations with
new friends is something that may be difficult for children to do. This makes it difficult for
children to join other children in making cliques.
Not only when initiating a conversation but being the center of attention in class is also
something that makes children feel uncomfortable. For example, when they must answer the
teacher's questions in front of the class, the child may find the stares from their friends to be
unpleasant. In addition, when children must make groups do assignments, conversations with
group friends may not make the child feel comfortable.
3. Want to get rewards directly
Children who don't want to come to school can also be caused by their desire to immediately
play or go out with their friends outside of school. For example, when he comes home from
school, he always plays football, so the child may think "instead of going to school, it's better to
just play football" which makes him not want to come to school.
In teenagers, skipping school can be caused because they want to play with their friends, such as
going to the mall, cafe, or other places they want to visit so they don't study at school. So try to
pay attention to what your child likes, parents, it could be the reason you don't want to come to
school.
4. Seek attention from the closest household such as parents, siblings, or babysitters
Attention from parents is a very pleasant thing for children. But this can also be the cause of
children not wanting to come to school. For example, when the crying does not want to come to
school for 2 weeks, the child wants his mother to immediately say "yes, let's go to the
playground". This allows the child to get what he wants immediately.
4 reasons children don't want to come to school, parents must pay attention to the intensity. How
many times has your child refused to come to school? What are the reasons? Hopefully, the
problem of not wanting to come to school can be found a solution soon, parents!
Reference
Gonzálvez, C., Kearney, C. A., Jiménez-Ayala, C. E., Sanmartín, R., Vicent, M., England, C. J.,
& García-Fernández, J. M. (2018). Functional profiles of school refusal behavior and their
relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress. Psychiatry Research, 269, 140-144.
Skedgell, K., & Kearney, C. A. (2018). Predictors of school absenteeism severity at multiple
levels: A classification and regression tree analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 86,
236-245.
By: Sarah Aurelia Saragih, S.Psi. from BehaviorPALS Center