16 yr old Teenage son who doesn't go to school and refuses help from anyone

[Parentinneed1]

My 16 yr old son has been having issues with not attending classes at school and being disrespectful at school and home.
Does not want counselling, refuses to take anxiety medication etc.
Not sure what to do next as I want him to finish year 10.

[Hopesprings123]

I understand what you are going through to a large extent. My 13yr old has been refusing school since 2020 after the first lockdown We eventually had help through the school for a program which mentors school refusal kids . You might be able to ask the school about it as it is through the school that children can participate. The other thing id say at this point is whatever is happening with his mental health is probably the most important thing to address. And I understand he doesn't want to talk to anyone. This is really hard and I feel for you.  Even if he won't speak to someone, you can get some advice from a trained counsellor or psychologist who understands these situations. They can help you with coping mechanisms and it also gives you a sounding board.  If your son doesn't finish year 10, please don't be too worried. He can always do this through Tafe and sometimes this is better alternative for kids especially if he is having particular problems at school which you are not aware of.  I know how hard it can be when your child will not engage with anyone and is rude. With my child it stems from some deep issues including anxiety and depression. One of the things we do is no matter how horrible she is to us, we always tell her we love her. Because the more they hear this, the more the message gets through and believe me it does make a difference. I really hope you can get some support for yourself and your son eventually agrees to talk to someone, even if it is an online youth forum. Sending you best wishes.

[Taylor-RO]

Hi @Hopesprings123, thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am really sorry to hear that you had to go through all of that to begin with. It sounds like while it was a really difficult experience for you, you were able to gain a lot of insight and understanding from it. I think you have raised a lot of good points which would be really beneficial for other parents to read