Tardies and Truancy

With a new school year beginning around the world it may be a good time to address tardy and truancy issues, before it becomes a problem.

The bell rings and class begins, but is your child in their seat? Every school district has their own policies, procedures, and disciplinary actions regarding attendance. However, habitual delinquencies can pose serious problems for both the student and their parents. Consistent tardies and truancy may prevent a child from receiving a proper education or even graduating on time. In addition, if the problem becomes severe, school authorities may contact Child Protective Services.

The fact is that the majority of students make it to class on time. If tardies occur, they are primarily during the first class of the day. When a student walks in the door 5 or 15 minutes late, they often miss the instruction for the day and any warm up exercises that are routinely done at the beginning of class. It is time that the other students were on task learning, while the late student was not. Instead, the late student usually comes in hurried, flustered, and embarrassed. Then, they must deal with the stress of catching up on what they missed. Overall, it is not a good way to begin the day.

In addition, tardies can affect the learning of all the other classmates. The late student draws attention to him/her self upon walking in the door and rustling through their book bag after class has already begun. For a moment, everyone else in the class room may be distracted by their entrance or the teacher who stops the lesson to scold them for being tardy. Tardies can be very frustrating to teachers who are interrupted or must repeat instructions for those who don't make it to class on time.

Truancy is when a student fails to appear for class at all and their absence is unexcused. Students who are truant pose an even greater concern, as it is often unknown why they weren't in school and what they were doing with their unsupervised time. It can be a sign of any number of serious problems including school bullying, depression, drug use, and more. In terms of academics, it means a substantial loss of class time that generally results in poor grades. Most schools have policies that require a student to be in the class room for a certain amount of time in order to receive full credit and graduate with their peers.

If a child is absent from school for a justifiable reason, the parent must follow the schools protocol and call the office or send a note. However, sometimes students assume the identity of their parents in order to avoid getting in trouble at home. So, if you suspect your child is not in school when they need to be, you may want to verify attendance records with their school's secretary.

Parents must help their kids maintain regular school attendance. In some states, parents are being prosecuted and fined for failure to do so. In addition, many schools have a policy in which they contact social services or Child Protective Services after a certain amount of class time has been missed. Also, be advised that it is not uncommon for schools to count multiple tardies as a day of truancy.

Out of Control Teens

The teenage years can be a trying time as they often test parenting skills to their limits. While a certain degree of teenage rebellion and defiance is considered normal, some teens spiral out of control and become a dangerous threat to themselves and others. It is important for parents to understand when a teen is in serious trouble and when to call for help.

Even the best teens may test their boundaries at times as they seek to gain independence. Arguing rules, lingering out past curfew once or twice, a slip in grades, and failure to complete chores are all common problems that occur with many teens. These situations should not be excused or taken lightly. However, they are not necessarily symptoms that merit major concern.

On the other hand, more serious problems such as drug/alcohol abuse, risky sexual behavior, gang activity, violence, conduct disorder or a lengthy period of extreme defiance are all signs of a teen who has behavior that is out of control. In addition, a drastic shift in your teens attitude could be a sign indicating one or more of these problems. Overall, if a teen has behavior concerns that pose a threat to their safety and cannot be modified, the situation is serious.

Out of control teens need an intervention. Cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and other forms of mental health care may offer solutions that will change unwanted behaviors. There are psychological conditions such as Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and a number of others that can cause or contribute to a teens out of control behavior. Any mental condition that plays a role in dangerous behavior needs to be treated by a professional. In addition, there are residential treatment centers that offer a safe environment for a troubled teen, while they get the therapeutic help they need. If your teen is out of control, do not wait to get treatment. Often, an early intervention produces the best results for change.