Teachers and Parents United: Like Bamboo and the Stream, the Best Solution for Struggling Teenagers

KUALA LUMPUR, December 30 – In today’s challenging world, an increasing number of teenagers are falling into the trap of skipping school, often seen as a sign of losing direction in life. However, experts suggest that parents, teachers, and society should not be quick to point fingers at teenagers, but instead sit down together and discuss solutions to address the issue.

Studies show that skipping school is not just a disciplinary problem; it can also be an early sign that a teenager is facing various emotional, social, or academic challenges. In many cases, teenagers who skip school are actually asking for attention and help to continue their lives in a more positive direction.

Some of the main reasons why teenagers choose to skip school include:

1. Peer Influence
Choosing the wrong friends can expose teenagers to negative behaviours like skipping school. Peer pressure from friends involved in such activities often forces teenagers to join in.

2. Emotional Issues
Teenagers struggling with depression or emotional problems might take a shortcut like skipping school to express their feelings. They often seek attention from their parents and adults in the wrong way.

3. Social Problems
Lack of parental supervision, family issues, and a lack of interest in learning often cause teenagers to lose their direction in life and eventually fall into the trap of skipping school.

4. Learning Problems and Lack of Focus
Teenagers who face learning difficulties or have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may struggle to keep up with lessons at school, causing them to lose focus and eventually choose to skip school as a way to escape from academic problems.

Educational and counselling experts recommend that parents play a more active role in their teenagers’ lives. Giving more attention, spending time with their children, and understanding their interests and challenges are key to preventing the issue of skipping school from escalating.

Parents need to realise that even though their teenage children may seem independent, they still need more attention and support in facing the challenges of this life stage. Open and natural conversations can help parents approach their children more easily.

In addition, getting involved in school activities and building good relationships with teachers and school administrators will have a positive impact. Teenagers who know their parents are involved in their school life will be more cautious about engaging in negative behaviour because they know they are being monitored by both school and home.

By doing so, we not only give attention but also create a healthy environment for teenagers to grow and learn to face the world more positively.