“The bottom line is that you have to know your child,” says America’s Supernanny Deborah Tillman. “There are children that say, ‘I don’t want to go to school,’ and they’re just acting lazy and it’s like, ‘I’m tired and I don’t want to go to school.’
“I’m really not going to feed into that if I have that kind of child. You explain to the child that not going to school is not an option. ‘You know, you have to go to school. Just as Mommy has to go to work to pay the bills and Daddy has to go to work to pay the bills, the bottom line is you have to go to school to get an education.’ My mother and father taught us that at an early age. The bottom line is: If you have education in you, if you have knowledge in you, knowledge is power. The more you learn and grow, the better you are for the world.”
Here’s how 4 other parenting experts say to respond…
Jane Healy
If parents hear this repeatedly, the bestselling author of Your Child’s Growing Mind says they need to spring into action and do these two things. Format: Article
Sh*tty Mom
Let’s face it, says Sh*tty Mom co-author Mary Ann Zoellner, school exists to get kids out of the house. Here’s her tough-love, no-truancy approach to make sure they go. Format: Video (0:46)
Alfie Kohn
The author of The Schools Our Children Deserve says that giving a pat response to make children feel better or force them to go isn’t the answer. There’s a much better way. Format: Article
Sara Bennett
The Case Against Homework author suggests doing something unconventional rather than giving the usual, “You have to go!” response when facing this parenting dilemma. Format: Article
Get more tips and advice from America’s Supernanny Deborah Tillman.
