I used to wake up every morning and add another day to the number. 47. 63. 89. I thought if I tracked it obsessively enough, I could somehow control it. What I counted instead - eventually - was the first morning she ate breakfast without crying. The first time she laughed at something on TV. The first day she said “maybe tomorrow” instead of “never.” Those numbers told a completely different story. School refusal recovery isn’t measured in attendance. It’s measured in nervous system safety. And the days you stop counting the wrong thing are often the days everything starts to shift. If you’re still counting missed days and it’s breaking you - save this. The link in my bio is where I put everything I wish I’d known sooner. 🍒 - Jules (University mental health trained mum - who’s lived this). #schoolrefusal #schoolanxiety #anxiouskids #teenanxiety #schoolmum