How to Tell if a Child is Happy at School

School is such a massive part of every child’s life, from nursery to primary school then secondary and potentially college or university they spend the majority of their young lives in education of some sort. For this reason it is extremely important to make sure that they are happy at school and that nothing is bothering them from day to day. Some of us have children or grandchildren that tell us about every single second of their days and every though that they have which makes it much easier for us to tell if they are happy or not. However some children tend to not give much away and keep their thoughts and feeling close to their chest. After all, school can sometimes be overwhelming and your child might not want to open up about some of their experiences, no matter what their age.

For this reason, an independent school in Twickenham have provided some tips to help us tell whether our children are truly happy at school or not.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ask open ended questions

The first thing you should try is to talk to your children as often and as casually as possible. This doesn’t always have to be as soon as you meet them from the school gates or the second they walk through the door as it might be better to let them unwind and relax a little first. Ask detailed and open ended questions that require more than just a one word answer. Your child’s answers,  facial expressions and body language will give you a strong indication as to whether or not they are happy.

Talk to the teachers

Your child’s teachers are a great place to start if you would like an outside perspective on how your child is getting on at school and whether they are happy or not. They do after all spend 5 days a week with them! Call and ask for a meeting or have a quick chat at home time.

Observe their behaviour

As a parent you know your children better than anyone. Keep an eye out for any unusual behaviours such as becoming withdrawn or signs of anxiety such as bed wetting or nail biting. Has your child tried to pull a sick day when there was nothing wrong with them recently or declined any invites to birthday parties?

This is a collaborative post.