If you struggle with your child everyday to get them out the door and to school, if your child lets out terrified screams every time to take them to school, if they have panic attacks, your child might be suffering from a school phobia. Like adults, children have fears. And, like adults, their fears might not always be rational. But unlike other fears, the fear of going to school is not something that you and your child can ignore.
The most important thing that you can do is to help your child get to the root of their fear. It might be beneficial to work with a therapist who could better diagnose your child. A therapist would also be able to tell you if your child needs to be put on anti-anxiety medication to help them cope with their fear.
There are other things that you can do to help your child cope with their fear of school. First, you need to find out what they are afraid of. In many cases, children are afraid that their parent will leave them at school and never come back. If this is the case with your child, assure them that everyday you will come back for them. It might be good to leave a note in their lunchbox letting them know that you love them and that you will see them soon.
If your child is extremely anxious about going to school, find out why. Is there an issue with the other students? With the teacher? Once your have found out why they are so nervous, work towards fixing the problem. Teach your child how to work well with other children so they do not feel nervous about being around other kids. If it is a problem with the teacher, set up a meeting with the teacher. It would also be beneficial for the student and teacher to spend time together while you are there. You, as the parent, would represent something safe and comfortable so that your child is able to concur their fear.