Lost and depressed - How to support my teenager?

[Jenny_T]

My 13th daughter refused to go to school today, another day similar to last year. She is seeing a psychologist, a psychiatrist but nothing seems to work.

Now she is lying there, and I'm so depressed.

What you do, as a parent to support your child on the day they don't want to go to school? I could not stay home any longer, otherwise I could loose my job.

[Sophie_M]

Hi JennyT, 

This sounds like a very stressful experience, we're really sorry that this is what you're going through with your daughter.

Dr Kim has a great post that we think can help you here: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/supporting-family-and-friends-with-a-mental-health-condition-(carers)/helping-your-child-to-overcome-school-refusal

[Jenny_T]

Hi Sophie,

Thanks a lot to you and Dr Kim for the support. I’m so happy to report that my daughter is back to school in the last two days.

What we did are:

- Contact our psychiatrist and psychologist for consultation.

- Try to break the process of going back to school into smaller steps with the wonderful support from school and her friends - have friends walk to school together, just be at school (no classes), shorter days till our final objective achieved- full day at school.

- Be supportive to any of her achievements, no matter small or big.

- Make the house “boring” on the day she decided to stay home - no Internet or TV.

[quirkywords]

Jenny

thank you for your update on your daughter and your helpful points. When I wa a student many many years ago I found it hard to go to school when I was depressed.

I like the way you have a plan and have worked with the school and psychohistory to help her.

I wished that this help had been available to me way back then,

It is reassuring today that your daughter as such a dedicated mum and there are plans to help students today.

Thanks again for sharing your ideas with us

Quirky