Parents, if your child has explosive behaviors at school, here is how to help

Parents, if your child is regularly having explosive behaviors at school, kicking, screaming, throwing things, trashing a classroom, I need you to understand the full picture. As a teacher of almost 30 years, and a parent of two children, I know what you're feeling inside, and I know what I see in the classroom. And it's

not just your child who's struggling in that moment. There's a teacher trying to keep everyone safe while their own heart is racing. There are 25 other kids who are watching and listening, and they don't know what to do. Some are scared, and they can't focus, and some start to dread coming to school. And I am not

blaming you at all. You just deserve the truth, because your child is not bad. Your child is overwhelmed. And when behavior gets that big, it means they need more support than that classroom alone can give them. So, what helps? Partner with the school early. And no defense, be collaborative. When the school contacts you, say, "What are you

seeing? How can we work together to fix this?" Be open to support. That might look like counseling, or having evaluations done, behavior plans, talking to your child's doc- doctor, not labeling, accessing help. And then practice regulation at home, coping skills, routines, how to calm down when they don't like hearing no, and they start to

feel overwhelmed. Because those strategies don't start at school, they need to start at home and carry over into school. And if you don't know what to do, that's fine. Talk to the school, because there's always someone at a school that has ideas for that. And most of all, stay consistent with expectations. Because when school and