Deciding whether to send a student who is experiencing severe symptoms of a mental health challenge to school or treatment can feel like a tough choice, especially as Tennesseans begin the start of a new school year. It’s natural for parents to worry if their teen or pre-teen is ready to go back to school, or if missing the first few days – or weeks – will put them behind their peers before the year has even begun. But what if your child isn’t mentally or emotionally ready to walk through the doors in the first place? When it comes to your child’s mental health, the choice might be clearer than you think.
Showing Up to School Isn't the Same as Being Ready to Learn
For an adolescent who is experiencing significant anxiety or other mental health challenges, getting through the typical school day may be impossible. They may struggle to get out of bed in the morning, complete their morning routine, leave the house, ride the bus or drive to school, walk into a crowded building, sit through full class periods, concentrate on instructions, interact with their peers, or manage panic or overwhelming emotions. Your child might physically be in the classroom but not yet have the emotional capacity to learn.
“Forcing your child to return to school before they’re ready may result in repeated absences, school avoidance, panic attacks, increased emotional distress, refusal to engage in the classroom, or even a cycle of anxiety around returning the next day,” said Alyssa Sebastian, Embrace U’s regional director.
Making sure your child is equipped with the coping skills needed to handle the day is Embrace U’s number one priority. That may mean delaying the start of school until their symptoms are controlled and they’re in a better position to learn and socialize.
Before You Ask, "Will My Child Fall Behind?" Ask: "Is My Child OK?"
Parents often worry about missed assignments, attendance, and academic progress because they want to protect their child’s future, and those concerns are completely valid. But when an adolescent is experiencing significant mental health challenges, their immediate emotional well-being may need to take priority. Your child’s mental health is more important than perfect attendance on the first day of school. Prioritizing mental health isn’t giving up on your child’s education. Rather, it may be an important step toward helping them return to learning with the skills and support they need to participate more fully and be present alongside their peers.
Waiting for the "Right Time" May Mean Waiting Until Things Get Worse
As summer break comes to an end, parents of adolescents struggling with their mental health may think that going back to school will provide their child with the structure they were lacking during summer. They might think that reconnecting with their friends will help them snap out of it or provide a good enough distraction to just get through the day. However, if your child is already struggling significantly, the pressure of returning to school may add new stressors rather than resolve the underlying issues. You don’t have to wait for the first panic attack, the first skipped class, or the first call from school to begin asking whether your child needs more support.
Enrolling your child at Embrace U is the first step in making sure their start to the new school year is successful. Our teams want to help get your child to a place where school feels manageable again. Our intensive outpatient program (IOP) and partial hospitalization program (PHP) have been designed to help adolescents build their emotional regulation skills, coping skills, anxiety management skills, healthy communication, problem-solving skills, confidence, and skills for navigating stress. Through individual, group, and hands-on therapeutic experiences, teens and pre-teens can practice coping and emotional regulation skills in a supportive environment before applying them to everyday stressors. The goal isn’t simply to get your teen through the school doors – it’s to help them develop the skills to manage what happens once they’re inside.
But What About Their Schoolwork?
We know academic concerns don’t simply disappear when an adolescent begins treatment. The Tennessee Department of Education defines “Chronic Absenteeism,” as missing 10% or more of instructional days. Each school system handles absences due to medical or mental health reasons differently. Some systems provide homebound instruction with physician documentation. Others do not. Embrace U works with local schools to support students and ensure they do not fall too far behind.
“Embrace U programs include a daily block of time designated for academic needs and we will do everything we can to keep your child on top of their schoolwork, however, Embrace U is first and foremost a mental health treatment program,” said Sebastian.
What school participation and academic support look like during treatment can vary based on a student’s individual circumstances and their school district’s policies and available resources. In some Tennessee counties, additional academic resources may be available through the student’s school district, but because each district approaches students in treatment differently, there isn’t one academic arrangement that applies to every Embrace U student.
Please get in touch with our team to learn more about how Embrace U partners with your school district and what the transition into and out of treatment may look like for your child. Our team can help you navigate the process with your local school system.
Missing the First Day Doesn't Mean Missing Their Future
There will always be another assignment, another class, or another opportunity to catch up with schoolwork. But if your child is struggling to get out of bed, leave the house, or make it through the day because of their mental health, they may need something different from you right now. Missing the first day of school doesn’t mean you or your child are giving up on their education. Prioritizing their mental health may be what helps them return to school ready to participate, connect, and move forward. Before worrying about whether your child will fall behind, ask whether they have the support they need to move forward.
