When children get into trouble at school, it is often a sign of an underlying issue.
Parents frequently deal with the issue of their children getting into trouble at school. Although some parents consider this conduct to be typical, it might actually have harmful effects. Additionally, this anti-social behaviour will probably get worse as your child gets older if it isn't addressed. It's crucial to find the causes of this behaviour before it gets out of hand.
Children who struggle in school often carry that worry and anxiety with them home. Along with bodily symptoms, you might observe behavioral changes. They might even decide not to attend classes. Alternatively, they can spend hours on their schoolwork before giving up in frustration and failing to turn in their work or complete the assigned readings. Additionally, it is typical for children to lose their exuberance, and talkativeness, or become more reclusive.
Some possible reasons why your child might be getting into trouble at school.
They are experiencing a mental health issue
Numerous mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, nervousness, depression, and eating disorders to name a few can lead to violent outbursts, and this is especially true for children because these conditions can be frightening and perplexing. It is crucial that you get the appropriate help. These mental health issues stem from other experiences such as your child experiencing a significant change or traumatizing event. At this stage, it is important to find a therapy methodology that teaches your child the abilities they need to deal with mental health issues in a safer and healthier way.
They are being bullied
Additionally, it's probable that your child is retaliating against bullying. Victims of bullying can frequently believe they aren't getting the support they need. When this occurs, they frequently reach their breaking point and lash out violently. If your child has had a string of violent outbursts, have a talk with them and make sure they are not being bullied.
They might have a learning disorder
Children who experience frustration in the classroom as a result of learning disabilities may occasionally vent their resentment on their peers. Your child's teacher will often be trained to identify learning disorders, so speak to your child's teacher to find out if they believe your child is performing to their potential in the classroom.
Is Play Therapy right for my child?
If your child is experiencing any one of the above, Play therapy can be suitable for helping your child identify and address the underlying challenge. In Play Therapy your child receives emotional support and they learn to understand their own feelings and thoughts. Oftentimes, they may act or play out the traumatic or difficult life experiences to make sense of the situation. They also learn useful skills such as how to manage relationships with the people around them and conflicts appropriately.
For children ages 3 -16 years old, play therapy is a natural and non-threatening mental health intervention for children and youth as "play" is a natural way for children to communicate and express themselves. Play is vital to every child’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative, and language development it aids in making learning concrete for all children and young people including those who find verbal communication difficult.
How does Play Therapy help my child?
Play Therapy begins by helping children express their feelings and assume responsibility for all of their behaviours. It also teaches them how to develop their problem-solving skills. As parents, it is important to remember that Play therapists are trained mental health practitioners specializing in helping young children. As a therapist, I work with parents to develop goals before starting therapy as it allows us to assess change and monitor behavioural outcomes.
Parents often wonder how I will address these goals in the playroom. When I have a young child deemed "out of control" at home and/or at school, I start by building a relationship with the child. During the session, the child will learn to assume responsibility for his/her decisions and will have opportunities to demonstrate self-control if setting limits is necessary for the play therapy session. In this way, parents begin to recognize that what occurs in the nondirective playroom becomes helpful in addressing issues arising at home and school. As in the video, we gain insight into understanding the underlying issues that cause undesirable behaviours in the first place.
As you do your own research on Play Therapy you will find that there are no predetermined interventions during the play therapy sessions that seek to change the child's behaviour. Instead, what we do as play therapists is consistently offer a safe relationship and an environment in which your child is free to be self-directive. I mainly focus on the relationship I have with your child rather than the initial problem as this allows your child to tell me through "play" the anxieties, fears, or other complex emotions that are feeling or experiencing.
This is why Play therapy fills a wide gap in therapy services for young children. It is effective with tangible results that have allowed children to make massive strides in their emotional and behavioural development.
If you would like to speak to a qualified Play therapist to learn how your child could benefit from play therapy, click here to get in touch today or want to know if Play Therapy could be right for your child take our quiz!