In this article, we are talking about good reasons to take a child out of school. We also talk about school phobia, absenteeism and their implications.
Good reasons to take a child out of school
Looking for good reasons to take a child out of school? An absence is authorized for the following reasons:
- Illness of the child (or of one of his relatives if it is potentially contagious)
- Solemn family reunion (wedding, funeral, etc.)
- There has been an accident
- A child who follows his legal representatives (travel outside school holidays),
In the event of your child’s absence, you must inform the school principal or the principal as soon as possible, indicating the reason for this absence. If it is a foreseeable absence, you must inform the establishment in advance, indicating the reason.
Example of letter to authorize a student to be absent from school
Mr Headmaster,
We ask for your benevolence in order to grant to our child [First name Last name] student in the class of [class] an authorization of absence of [number] days as from [date].
Indeed, we have to go to [town] alongside his dying grandmother. We will personally ensure that homework is caught up and that he does not fall behind with his classmates.
We remain at your disposal for any further information.
Counting on your understanding, we ask you to accept our most respectful greetings.
[Full name]
The rules of conduct of a school are indicated in the internal regulations. Parents, students and staff are required to respect it.
This document provides for, among other things, the hours of access to the premises, the management of free time between lessons and the penalties in the event of unjustified absences. It is therefore important to prevent any delay or absence of the pupil.
Normally, the pupil is required to attend the classes provided for in his timetable, unless a legitimate reason prevents him from doing so. In concrete terms, a pupil is authorized to be absent in the event of illness or contact with a very contagious illness, an important family event (marriage, death), an accident during transport and exceptionally due to a movement of parents or legal representatives outside of school holidays.
But whatever the reason for the absence, parents are required to inform the school administration as soon as possible and when it is foreseeable to do so before the pupil is absent.
Get a doctor’s note. If you have a long-term illness, your school may ask you, a parent, guardian, or another family member for a medical note stating that you are indeed ill. and that you need time to recover.
You will be asked for a certificate from a paediatrician or general practitioner if your illness lasts longer than a certain time. The exact hours may vary from school to school, so you should review the school rules to know when a medical certificate becomes mandatory. This period generally varies from 3 to 10 days, 10 days being generally more frequent.
What to do if my child does not want to go back to school?
There are different reasons that can explain animosity towards school. In some cases, this is a misunderstanding. Your child keeps telling you that he already went to school the day before, so he doesn’t need to go back yet.
He understood that he had to go to school “that day,” which is the first day of school, which you told him so much about. For him, this is a fait accompli. The latter may not have managed to find his place and get used to school.
He only remembers constraints and does not feel familiar with these days so different from those he has known. He may have felt lost among the many school children or intimidated by the teacher. Your child, therefore, prefers to stay at home.
There are different reasons that can explain animosity towards school. In some cases, this is a misunderstanding. Your toddler keeps telling you that he already went to school the day before, so he doesn’t need to go back yet. He understood that he had to go to school “that day,” which is the first day of school, which you told him so much about.
If there has been a misunderstanding, your child will not have understood that school will be their daily life. He thought he had to be there only one day.
On the second day of school, take your little one for a walk in a park (or another place where you usually see children). Point out to him that the other children are not there: “Here, there is no one in the square except the babies. No one on the slide and no one on the swing… But where are they? “. Wait until recess to get closer to school.
Your child will hear the joyful cries of the schoolchildren. “This is where they are all!” You will exclaim. How about you join them this afternoon? Then I’ll go get you and we’ll go to Grandma’s “. By offering an activity or program that your child likes for their outing, they may have more willpower.
Besides, if your child is feeling abandoned, it may be because you, the mom, are having a hard time separating from them. Your child feels your sadness and will feel sorry too. Now is daddy’s time to step up! In this case, specialists recommend that the latter take the child to class on the second day himself. The dad can, in agreement with the teacher, stay a little while in the class so that the child feels comfortable.
Once he’s immersed in an activity, the daddy can go away. Just before you go, don’t hesitate to congratulate or encourage him, just with a look, a smile or a little note. You will meet him at the end of the day.
Do not waste time. Despite everything that may have happened that first day of school, the child has to go back. In the same way, as after a fall on horseback where you have to get back up immediately, your child should not crystallize the refusal. Waiting before bringing him back to class would only increase the anxiety.
Talk to the teacher and ask if he has noticed anything in particular in the behaviour of your little schoolboy. Maybe it is closed? Perhaps another child was hostile towards him? At this age, children do not tell what they think is “from the past”.
A child may also have forgotten the very cause of their fear. He then retains only the feeling of ill-being and will associate it with school, hence his refusal to return.
How to react to school phobia?
When the child shows a refusal, the parents are often helpless, torn between the temptation to give in to his “desire” or that of ignoring it and forcing him to go. Children need to be listened to and heard that their difficulty. Most teachers recommend calling in a psychologist or a child psychiatrist who can of course help the child and will be able to establish a link with the school doctor.
Certain attitudes should be avoided. Encouraging him not to go to school is strongly discouraged. To justify the anxieties of the child by a deficiency of the school system and the teachers is not desirable. In addition to the educational aspect, the school gives the child the opportunity to socialize. The latter, on the contrary, needs to be encouraged in an educational process.
In the event of racketeering, or “abusive” participation in dangerous games, it is recommended to involve the school more. The child needs to be supported in the fact that his abusers are wrong. Changing establishments is not necessarily the solution, except in extreme cases.
It is preferable to check if there is an anxious ground and to find a solution. Giving children the means to manage certain difficult situations can prevent them from dropping out of school, and therefore desocializing them. It is true that the courtyard of a school or college is not without an opportunity for confrontation. Just like that of adults, adults, for that matter.
Final thoughts
As a final tip, no matter the reason you decided to take your child out of school, please remember to find out what you are missing. In some subjects, it will be more difficult for you to catch up with the class than in others. This is especially important if the child is sick or missing school for a longer period.
Kids love to skip school – it’s a generally accepted fact. But they do not always manage to find good reasons for absenteeism. Better to play it safe and read how to cheat properly so that they don’t understand it.
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FAQ on Good reasons to take a child out of school
What are some good reasons not to go to school?
Here are some excuses to not go to school:
- The school is flooded/there is a lice epidemic/contagious disease in the school.
- The teacher is off due to a family emergency;
- You missed the school bus;
- You are too late;
- You lost something extremely important (eg. glasses, books, etc).
- You didn’t sleep all night because you’re stressed out.
How many absences can a student have?
Usually, a student can have up to seven unexcused absences in a row and a total of ten unexcused absences in a school year.
What to tell your parents when you don’t want to go to school?
Here’s what to tell your parents when you don’t want to go to school:
- I am feeling dizzy/have a headache;
- My teacher will be absent today due to a family emergency;
- I’d rather stay home and prepare for an important exam;
- I am stressed out and need a mental health day.
Does the school call your parents if you skip?
School can call your parents if you skip one or more classes, it all depends on your school’s absence policy.
