Chukwuemeka Onyebueke, an eight year old boy caused a scene in his neighbourhood on Monday, January 8, 2024 as school activities resumed.
As the mother got his school needs ready for a new day in school, the young boy busted out in tears and ran out of the house to the street shouting, “Leave me alone, I don’t want to go to school.”
Unfortunately for the mother she fell down and had some injuries while trying to apprehend the boy.
Sometimes as a parent, one is faced with the challenge of making one’s child like school or being excited about going to school.
School should be fun, exciting, and a place children should feel as though they belong. Being in school offers children the opportunity to learn about many different subjects, join a wide variety of groups, and meet people from many different backgrounds.
While school is meant to help a child explore different subjects and become part of a community, some children do not find as much joy in school as others.
Olusola Kayode told a story, about how her daughter would on a Monday morning be agitating to go to church instead of school.
“I got concerned that my five-year-old daughter who used to like going to school suddenly changed. She would come around while getting her school needs ready and start crying, ‘I want to go to church’.
Jenn Mann, a US psychologist posits that when a child starts throwing fits and tantrums about not wanting to go to school, especially at the basic school age, that this is ‘just a small step backward in the child’s natural progression towards independence, but it can sometimes be a sign of anxiety.’
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), “The period from birth to eight years old is one of remarkable brain development for children.”
The organisation adds that it represents an important time for their development and education.
Similarly, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says that supporting children’s early learning can lead to higher test scores and a better chance of staying in school and going to college.
Studies even suggest early learning can lead to fewer teen pregnancies, improved mental health, and a longer life.
Judy Willis, a US board certified neurologist and middle school teacher says if a child, especially an older one, hates school, it is probably not his fault, nor that of the teacher but rather evidence that ‘his brain is functioning appropriately.’
According to Willis some of the steps to getting your child to like school is;
To recognise the child’s fears; even though parents usually think kindergarten and the early grades are low key for children, school is hard work.
Willis’ postulation was actually the case of Kayode’s daughter disliked going to school because of the attitude of her new teacher to her. And the father of the girl took the matter to the school, he discovered that there were many other homes facing the same challenge.
The school eventually terminated the teacher’s contract when it was obvious she was not relating well with children under her care.
Another factor that might be responsible for this is the home-front fun. To address this, according to Willis, parents must reduce the fun factor at home.
“Sometimes children want to skip school simply because home is a better place to be. The solution is to make staying home from school boring.”
Besides, the neurologist enjoined parents to be strategic in training their children especially as it concerns the school.
“Parents need to be brain preservers. You can enrich and expand your children’s learning experiences and help them be more successful on tests and other school assessments.
You can use strategies with your children at home to reverse school negativity and promote the mindset your children need to regain in order to sustain a positive attitude about themselves and school.
The key to this process is to connect your children to what they learn at school through their interests and past positive experiences, so they will want to learn what they have to learn.”
Moreover, getting your child to do things he can do easily helps motivate him to exert effort when he believes it will pay off.
