Behavioural problems at school and the emotional world at home

When a child regularly shows behavioural problems at school - talking back, not listening, being aggressive or too withdrawn - most parents blame the school environment. But what if the real cause is at home?

A child's behaviour is not a phenomenon in itself, but a mirror - a reflection of the world in which he or she lives. What he experiences at home, with his parents and in his immediate environment, determines how he does at school.

Emotions start at home but erupt at school

Imagine your child is sitting in school. He or she fails a task on the first attempt. The teacher challenges him, but he doesn't dare to speak. Another child takes his pencil and he pushes him away in anger. A classmate laughs at him and he simply retreats to the corner so he doesn't have to talk to anyone.

You, as a parent, may find at home that he doesn't tell you about his school day. That he's tired, irritable, doesn't want to do homework or, on the contrary, wants to prove himself too much. You don't know why he behaves like this, because at home it's completely different. And then comes the call from school: "Your child had another fight with his peers today."

💔 This is the moment when your heart sinks as a parent. What did you do wrong? Why can't your child understand that this is not the way they should behave?

The answer goes much deeper. Children are not consciously "bad" at school. Feelings that they cannot express or process properly at home are triggered in the school environment.

❌ If there is a lot of tension at home, the child will be more tense and irritable at school.
❌ If they don't have the opportunity to express their feelings at home, they react at school by tantrums or withdrawing.
❌ If there is no consistent emotional support at home, difficulties at school can cause even greater stress.

How can we help?

Children need a safe space to understand and process their emotions. The goal is not to stop them feeling anger or frustration, but to teach them how to manage them without damaging school or family life.

Imagine what it would be like if your child knew what to do when they were angry. If they could recognise their feelings and articulate what was hurting them. If he didn't have to feel anxious at school because he was confident that his feelings were valid and he knew how to deal with them.

Emotional safety starts at home - and shows at school! Give your child the tools to become more balanced!