When I was a kid I had a reputation for faking sick because nothing much seemed to be wrong with me. Years later I found out my symptoms were psychosomatic due to the constant stress of untreated mental health issues. I spent 20 years in chronic pain because the adults around me just saw a child who didn't want to be in class
Listen to your goddamn kids.
...i just lost a lot of leftover guilt from missing so many days in elementary school.
Children SHOULD miss school when they are feeling unwell, physical or mentally. And every child is going to get sick sometimes. That is normal. It’s a bad sign if a child never misses a day of school--that is often a sign of neglect or abuse. Children are children, they do not have the same stamina, authority, or the same communication skills to articulate their needs that adults have.
Normalize giving kids days off for their mental health.
Every month my mom allotted me and my brother one mental health day. If we aren't feeling well emotionally or physically we can say we're cashing in our day and roll back into bed no questions asked about school. School is no longer on the table its, "are you okay", " whats going on", "would you like space from me right now" "is something going on I should know about", etc. I'm so glad she did that for me and him, especiallu with us both having mental health issues as kids.
THIS. THIS IS SUCH GOOD PARENTING.
