School anxiety: Our topic in April

Does your child like going to school? Because they feel comfortable in the classroom? Is seen by the teachers? Enjoys learning and doesn't get bored? Lucky you! Quickly put three crosses on the ceiling. Your child is one of those who generally have no problems with school.

This is not a matter of course. More and more young people are skipping lessons and staying away from school. Absenteeism is the technical term for when school-age children or young people fail to attend lessons without authorisation. There are many reasons for this - reluctance, letting themselves down, preferring to go gaming or shopping are among the more harmless ones. In most cases, the matter is more complicated. Staying away from school is a child's attempt to solve a problem. By being absent, they are signalling to those around them that something is wrong, at school or at home.

«When school becomes torture»: My colleague Sandra Markert has researched how school frustration and school anxiety arise and how they differ. She has spoken to young people who refuse to go to school and shows how parents, teachers and school management react correctly when a child suffers from school anxiety.

You can also read about this in the April issue:

• «Am I a good mum?» asks our new columnist Mirjam Oertli.
• Psychologist Fabian Grolimund knowshow children can learn to concentrate better.
• Paediatrician Carsten Posovszky explains what could be behind children complaining of stomach ache or nausea.

I wish you an insightful read.

Yours sincerely,
Yours, Nik Niethammer