Learning Points: my child is terrified of returning to school 

Richard Hogan reaches into his mailbag to answer a back to school query from a worried parent

Many children are worried about returning to school. Parents can help ease their concerns by speaking with them in a calm manner.

Question: 

My 8-year-old daughter is very anxious about going back to school. She has started to come into my bed at night. She tells us that she does not want to get Covid-19 and kill her grandparents. She has started to get night terrors. Our elderly neighbour passed away from Coronavirus and I think she overheard myself and my husband talking about this. I know we shouldn’t have talked about it but I am a worrier too and I’m very concerned about her going back to school. I have tried to contact the school many times but I get the same generic response ‘they are doing everything to ensure the safety of the children’. I don’t think that is good enough and now my daughter is asking to stay at home. I taught her myself during lockdown and I am seriously thinking of home-schooling her from now on. My husband and I are not in agreement and it is causing huge tension. I really need help here as I feel like things are spiralling out of control and I’m letting my daughter down. She wants to stay at home; surely we should listen to her.