How Does School Attendance Affect a Child?

Sometimes, as a parent, you want to let your child skip school, whether it is to attend an outing with you, celebrate a special day or simply sleep in. Most schools have strict attendance policies that only allow for a set number of absences each semester. Learning why regular attendance is important can help your family make informed decisions about when to keep your child home.

  1. Learning

    • The primary reason you send your child to school is to learn, and learning is a gradual, ongoing process. Lectures; class discussions; and hands-on participation in some classes are key elements that can help students absorb the information and learn interesting, helpful, supplemental details as well. Even if your child studies any required reading and completes the related homework, there is no way to make up for these experiences outside of the classroom.

    Work Ethic

    • When you require your children to attend school regularly, you impart your belief that responsibility, tenacity and hard work are important. Developing the habits and character traits of showing up, being accountable and following through will help your children succeed throughout school and into adulthood, both in their personal and their professional lives. This example also stresses your opinion that education and self-improvement are worthwhile and meaningful goals to pursue.

    Teamwork and Community

    • Being punctual and present as much as possible will help your child feel like part of the school community, which fosters a sense of acceptance and belonging, nurturing your child's self-esteem. Working on team projects or helping other students who may be struggling will teach your child how to cooperate and compromise, and encourage empathy. Receiving assistance from teachers and other students can instill humility and help a child learn how to seek help when needed.

    Frequent Absences

    • Children who miss a great deal of school often fall behind, which can cause stress, a negative self-image and a decreased desire to learn. These factors, combined with a sense that they don't have a place in the school community, may cause students with excessive absences to drop out completely. Even those who remain enrolled are at a higher risk of antisocial and even criminal behavior.

    Others Affected

    • Not only do frequent absences hurt the children missing class, but they can harm others involved, as well. Public schools lose money for each child who misses a day of class, which can ultimately result in a loss of funding for extracurricular activities, supplies and even teachers' salaries. Teachers must take time out of regular classroom activities to help students catch up following absences, as well. In addition, school administration personnel must spend time on the phone with parents, verifying the reasons for each child's absence.

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