It’s key for parents and schools to work together on school refusal

School Refusal, for some kids, it feels good to stay home with a parent, even if their parent spends much of the time trying to coax them back to school... “That is very powerful attention that, when kids are doing okay, they may not get that amount of parent attention,”... Or kids are avoiding a bully, or a particular social dynamic... But at least half of the time... it’s due to a mental health condition – often anxiety, depression, or both...

Technology means kids today have no trouble staying entertained... They can binge-watch their favorite shows –and keep up their social lives by texting their friends all day... But the longer kids avoid school, the more daunting their return feels... it’s key for parents and schools to work together on school refusal... “the willingness generally is there. It's just that anxiety or some other block is making it difficult for them to be there.”..