Every parent I’ve ever spoken to about school refusal says the same thing eventually. “We’ve tried everything. Nothing works.” And I believe them. Not because they’re giving up - because they’ve been handed tools that were never designed for what’s actually happening in their child’s body. When a nervous system is locked in chronic threat, the prefrontal cortex - the part responsible for logic, reasoning and responding to rewards - goes offline. This isn’t a parenting failure. It’s neuroscience. You cannot consequence a child into feeling safe. And until the nervous system feels safe, nothing else lands. If this explains what you’ve been living - save it. 🍒 And if someone you know is being told to try harder, share it. They need to hear this. ♥️ - Jules (University mental health trained mum - who’s lived it) #schoolrefusal #schoolstress #schoolanxiety #schoolsupport #teenanxiety