303. Q&A: My 8-year-old is suddenly refusing to go to school, how should I handle this?
- Author
- Dr. Sarah Bren
- Published
- Thu 01 May 2025
- Episode Link
- https://drsarahbren.com/303-qa-my-8-year-old-is-suddenly-refusing-to-go-to-school-how-should-i-handle-this
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
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Not all school refusal looks the same. Learn how to recognize the different types and when it’s time to seek extra support.
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Understanding the science of anxiety and how these feelings can actually create physical symptoms like tummy aches or headaches.
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Strategies for getting to the root cause of what may be causing your child’s school refusal so you can address the actual source of the problem.
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What is "contagion anxiety” and how can this spread through classrooms and schools?
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When and how to have reflective conversations with your child that will help you form a clearer understanding of what is bothering them - with sample questions you can use to get you started.
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How to build your child’s distress tolerance and resiliency at a manageable rate, so they are able to cross this hurdle without fully shutting down.
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A quick primer on SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and how this is a helpful approach for navigating your child’s anxiety.
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
👉🏻 Click here to lean more about support options at Upshur Bren Psychology Group and to schedule a free 30-minute consultation call to learn more about the available resources for your unique needs.
ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about school refusal and anxiety with Dr. Erica Miller
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about challenging perfectionism and academic pressures
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:
Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!
