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

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

@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

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.