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2complicated
Casual Contributor

Truancy

So what do you do when your 15yr old teenager starts not going to school and simply states that I don’t understand - he does not see the point of it and basically the majority of teachers are (bleeps).

 

The school knows he has morbid anxiety and ADHD (which he refuses to take medication for). As far as they are concerned the parent needs to come up with solutions and in the latest meeting with the co-ordinators simply threaten to make him stay back to repeat the year.

 

He is not sleeping so I am going back to the pediatrition this month. This costs big $$$ over $120 out of pocket. I have pushed for taking electronics out of his room at night but he listenes to music to sleep . This has not been taken well as you can appreciate- with the whole “Why do you continue to punish me if I turn up at school (sometimes not to lunch time)..

 

I am definitely the enemy right now.  Have you had any experience with this and did anything work? 

6 REPLIES 6
Former-Member
Not applicable

Re: Truancy

Hi @2complicated , I don't know if this will help but my experience is from your son's side of things. I've had extreme anxiety since I was really young. I got in trouble all the time at school mostly from walking out of class. Not necessarily because I didn't see the point in school but because I couldn't handle the classroom unfortunately I had no one. And even though you are there for him he may feel like that everyone is against him because he can't tolerate what is expected to be natural for him. When I was in year 11 and started to get panic attacks from the class room environment I did have a dr suggest that I try home schooling and was prepared to write a letter for the education department about it but my mother disagreed with the dr and refused. But if he is having trouble with that type of aspect of school there are other alternatives that still give him a yr 12 certificate or equivalent

 

Former-Member
Not applicable

Re: Truancy

Also don't discourage the listening to music but rather try to get him to listen to classical music of meditation sounds like rain forest and beach waves or birds it helps alot with learning to deep breath and keeping calm these helped me alot and still do

greenpea
Senior Contributor

Re: Truancy

@2complicated  Hey 2complicated I was a rebel and wagged school all the time to the point I was expelled from 2 schools and finally entered the workforce at 16. Have you thought about sending son to tafe to do his schooling? I know of a family friend who did her final years at tafe and it worked out really well for her.  Some universities also do programs for under 21s who have dropped out of school. It is worth while looking into. 

 

Sometimes the classic school approach doesnt suit individuals and nowadays there are so many different ways to gain your hsc going to school doesnt hold so much importance. peax

Re: Truancy

Thank you for taking the time to respond. My biggest hope is we get through this year so he can transition into exactly that - a VCAL process. I’m worried naturally this threat of keeping him back will impact on this process. Great advice and I may look more into this. 

Re: Truancy

Thank you for sharing it is really great to understand what it is like for other people

Re: Truancy

Unfortunately it’s pop music and really not much maturity to try this - I personally love it
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