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Have you ever taken your child's temperature in the morning before school only to find it is normal? Ever been called by the school nurse to pick up a child who threw up on the bus? Ever had your child throw fits only in the morning during breakfast before a school day? If you answered yes to any of these, or could add your own antidotes to the list, then your child is scared of school. The first thing to do before deciding what to do about this problem, is to find out why your child is scared. Understanding why will provide direct answers to the what next part.

There are many reasons a child can be afraid of school. Some include: new school syndrome, learning disability, bullying, or issues with the teacher. Typically bullying is the biggest reason children are scared to go to school.

If your child has new school syndrome, it typically goes away after the first day or two, as your child gets used to the new surroundings and makes friends. Easing the worry those first few days can be as simple as a hug, a new outfit or even the promise of an ice cream cone after school.

If your child has a learning disability, whether diagnosed or not, school will be the hardest place in the world for them and will likely manifest itself as fear. These students will fight over homework or avoid homework altogether. They will get poor grades, many times failing subjects. If you are concerned that your child has a learning disability, you need to set up a meeting with the child's teacher, and discuss the possibility while looking at a collection of work samples and decide if further steps for testing should take place.

If your child is being bullied, as many unfortunately are, your child will appear afraid of school because it requires being in contact with the child or group of children doing the bullying. In order to find this out, you need to open the lines of communication with your child. Talk about what is going on and see if you can figure out when the bullying takes place. Does it happen on the bus? In the lunch room? At recess? In class? Or in the hallway between classes? Once you've found out as much information as you can, visit the classroom teacher and get as much information on the situation as you can. If the bullying is taking place on the bus, meet with the principal. Often getting the principal involved is a good step either way. Make sure to communicate to your child that it is wrong to bully and that you will do what you can to help the situation. Teach your child methods of dealing with the situations as well. Methods such as going to a teacher for help. Walking away. Telling the principal. Making sure to tell the adults in charge what is going on, will be the only way to help alleviate the problem.

Only in very severe circumstances should a child be pulled from a school or classroom in the face of bullying or issue with a teacher. All steps should be taken to resolve the problem to teach the children that when we have problems, we cannot run from them. In the end, though, if it is a matter of protecting your child and ensuring that your child gets an adequate education, make sure to do whatever you need to.

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