Why Can't I Focus!!!

[the_ant65]

Thank for this @taokat,
The DP Officer help him. They want into the school office at first. and he was given little jobs like photocopying, one of the subject was home science/cooking he like.
Good that you had a early night.

[taokat]

It's fantastic he has that support at school @the_ant65.

Ahh, a young chef hey! Awesome! Does he like to cook at home? 

[taokat]

Hey @the_ant65, I jusrt wanted to check in and see how everything's going? I hope your son's enjoying the school holidays - some breathing time without any school stressors!

[the_ant65]

Hi guys,
All good here.
Wishing you all Peace, Love & Joy 😊 for Xmas and NY18🎄🎆🎇✨ .
We are more relax in these hols
Thanks for your support.
cheers 🐜

[the_ant65]

All good here. our son is more relax in these hols. Wishing you all Peace, Love & Joy 😊 for Xmas and NY18🎄🎆🎇✨ .
🐜

[taokat]

I'm so glad to hear that things are going well @the_ant65! Holidays are a great time to just be - enjoy family and have time out. 

Thank you for your well wishes for Xmas and the New Year. Let's hope 2018 brings some positive change and hope for all who've had tough times this year  

We'd love you to keep in touch, so feel free to update us anytime! 

Take care for now! 

[the_ant65]

Everything was going well and our son attendance rate was up above 80% for the 1st weeks of term. Petty **bleep** well if I don’t say myself.

All was good that Wednesday morning when our son went off to school.

Until I got that dreaded phone message “Your son was mark absent …..Please explain his absence”

I quickly made a few phone calls and contacted my child. He said he was with his mate. Who had a fight with his mother and was very upset and could he say and comfort him. I agreed and quickly text the school back to say our son have been accounted for.

His mate ended up staying at our place for a fee days. He is now back with his mother... for now at least. (That’s another long story for another time.)

Any way the next day the deputy principle called our son into his office and gave him the 3rd degree. He questions him about his absentee the day before, his lack of attendance last term and many other things. He then made threats to put him on detention for not coming to school.

When my son explained the reason for his lack of attendance last year was that he had anxiety and depression. Well the deputy went into a tail spin and totally disputed his medical condition.

From that moment on we could see his deterioration in his health and spiralling down into the black hole. Hance his attendance has been declining.

We saw his counsellor and DR. There were shocked by this interrogation. And we should put in a complaint to the school. We have put a formal complaint to the principle but she down played this complaint.

The result of the past few weeks has put a toll on our family and our stress levels are very high.

Here we go again.

Thanks for the rant

The Ant.

[Breez-RO]

Hey @the_ant65 wow definitely does sound like an interrogation. How frustrating for your son and for you. He definitely was being an incredibly compassionate friend, and for this Principal to dispute his mental health in a round about way is very unethical. How's your relationship with the school at the moment? I am guessing this is highly frustrating. Well done on taking his mate in for a few days, again the compassion really shines through with your family. It sounds like you fear your Son is heading back into the rabbit hole,  how is your own self-care going through all of this? 

[Sister]

Hello @the_ant65,

Thanks for sharing all that you have about your son. You seem like a very caring and concerned parent.

It IS awful when you know your teen has been skipping school.......at one of my sons schools they didn't even know he was absent......another parent saw him out skipping classes with another boy and I had to notify the school myself! Needless to say, I was furious with the schools attitude!

Getting back to your situation and your mention of the Deputy disputing your sons medical condition, was this what your son told you? Im not indicating your son was lying but maybe what the deputy stated was taken out of context and your son misinterpreted the Deputys' response? However, on the other hand, if the Deputy DID say this to your son I would be taking it even further than the principal....I would be letting someone higher up know. That's if you have the energy to do this!

Depression and anxiety can be major and teachers and other members of the public need to be aware that they are medical conditions not to be treated lightly. Would the Deputy have said the same thing if your son had a physical condition such as cancer?!

Anyway....sorry for getting carried away but from my own experiences (both professionally and personally) we still have a long way to go in educating people about mental health conditions.

I was really sorry to read that your sons condition has been spiralling downwards again. However, possibly the trigger of this latest event has been a setback that will right itself again. Your son has the GP and counsellor on board which are real plusses. Try and stay positive for your son and focus on all the way you have come. Life is full of ups and downs and inner strength can get you through.

Your son must have been a good friend to the boy you took in. You too as a family obviously helped him out by letting him stay. Its great that your son has you in his life....stay strong as Im sure you can be. This time shall pass.

[taokat]

Hey @the_ant65, my heart drops for you and your son, I'm so sorry to hear this has happened. Your son had been doing so amazingly well, and I understand how upsetting and worrying it is when things hit a barrier like this. 

That is so dismissive of the school and so poorly handled by them. It's certainly understandable that this has affected your son's attendance. While I get skipping school isn't the go, your son's reasons for skipping were very compassionate and admirable. What a lovely soul he is. Clearly handed down from his mum and dad! 

If the principle's response isn't satisfactory, you could forward your complaint to the Dept of Education. They have a specialised section for kids with disabilities, and have advocated for my daughter and me before with her old school. 

Hang in there. Rant whenever you need to! It always helps!