What are good excuses to not go to school?
Good excuses for missing a day of school can be hard to come by. Most teachers and parents want to know why you have been absent. It is important that they call the school about your absence so they can learn how best to help you with your education. Following are some common reasons people use when they do not go to school. It is important to realize that when you are in high school, like when you were in middle school, it is necessary to provide the teacher with a note about your absence. The teacher will appreciate getting an explanation by another adult in writing.
- Stomach cramps or nausea: For younger students, stomach cramps or nausea can be a great reason to miss school. A note from the doctor will help. Most doctors’ offices have notes ready for parents to take back and pass on to teachers because this is such a common reason.
- Vomiting: If you vomit at home, call the school right away and explain why you cannot come in. If it occurs during your commute, go immediately to a place where you can make a phone call and call the school before going into the building. Put yourself in your teacher’s shoes—she may see many sick kids each day, but she wants to know who is not there so she can send instructions home about what they should do next time if this happens again.
- Accident on the way to school: If you are in an accident that is not your fault, call 911 and then immediately contact your school with an explanation of why you cannot be at school that day. You will need to complete any paperwork the police give you, but it is important to let people at the school know why you are not there so they can help other students who might have this same issue come up again in the future.
- Death in the family: If a close relative or grandparent passes away, most teachers will understand if you need time off from school because of the funeral arrangements. Even if you simply want some time alone with your family members during this difficult time, your teacher will usually understand that you need to go home and be with your family.
- Bad headache: If you have a migraine or bad headache, it might not be possible for you to even get out of bed. In this case, call your school and explain what is going on. Let them know how long you think the problem is going to last so they can make plans for other students who are absent that day. Many schools will do email blasts to families if there are more absences than the staff can handle that day without getting behind in classwork. Parents appreciate knowing when their child may miss more time from school at any point during the year because they want to arrange childcare accordingly if necessary.
- Stomach flu: If you have the stomach flu, it is best to stay at home so you are not infecting other students in your school who are trying to get better. Most schools can put a message on their website and let parents know of your absence.
- Sick relative at home or hospitalization of family member overnight or longer due to accident/illness: If you need to stay home because of a sick relative or for any other reason, be sure to explain yourself in writing so your teacher can share this information with other students’ parents. The more open communication the better when it comes to reasons for missing school.
- Exposed to flu virus/have symptoms of flu: If you have symptoms that are similar to those of the flu, call your school immediately and tell them what is going on—do not go unless you absolutely have to.
- Sickly older siblings at home: If your older brother or sister is home sick from school, chances are your teacher will not mind if you stay home as well—especially if they think your sibling might be contagious with something like the stomach flu.
- Lice outbreak at home: If there is an ongoing lice or bed bug outbreak at your house, then it is best to stay home until you are no longer contagious with either one. If both parents work, try to find someone who can pick you up from school instead of sending yourself in the carpool lane by yourself or trying to take public transportation—you do not want to be near other people if they have lice.
Best excuses not to go to school besides being sick
Other excuses for not going to school would include: getting braces, having an operation, death in the family, wanted to go on spring break early or late with your friends.
- Minor surgery: If you get minor surgery that will not require a hospital stay but will take up some of your time for healing, then do not go in until it is safe for you to return. Your teacher will likely know what you are going through if this occurs and mark your absence accordingly.
- Family member in hospital: If a family member is in the hospital for something like an overnight stay, then let your school know when they can expect you back. Sometimes there are children who have to miss days at school because their parent(s) are undergoing tests at the same time during the early morning hours.
- Family member death: When a family member dies, it is usually not advised that you go to school during the first few days—or even weeks—after the loss . It is important to allow yourself time to grieve and remember your loved one in peace so you do not have to worry about anything else on top of this undue stress.
- Family emergency: If there was an emergency at home or something happened unexpectedly with a family member but everyone is okay now, then you are permitted to stay home until things can get back to normal for you (and your parents). Do what best fits your situation – i.e., if someone has had an accident or injury, call an ambulance immediately and then notify your teacher.
- Medical appointment: Sometimes you may have to go to the doctor or dentist, but if you do not have a physical problem that keeps you from attending school, then be sure your teacher knows about your absence beforehand so it does not get marked down as unexcused.
- Minor procedure done: If you need minor surgery but only require local anesthesia , then there is no real reason for you to miss school unless you need time off for recovery . You will likely be able to get back on track with catching up after one day of rest.
You can use these excuses as long as they sound convincing enough and you cover up for any holes what may come up through asking questions or just using common sense. Remember that if you’re going to be absent from school, always call the office first and explain why and then follow with a note that has an explanation of your absence. Also, think about what you are going to tell your friends. You can’t leave out for too long or they will suspect something is up and start asking questions. But if it’s just a one day absence, most likely they won’t come asking why. If they do ask, be honest with them but only give the information that you want them to know. This way if someone else asks first, your friend doesn’t have to lie on your behalf but you also don’t have to reveal anything personal either.
For example: A student may say his parents found some problems with his grades so he has to stay home and help solve these problems because his parents are not available during school hours . This sounds convincing enough because it plays along with the standards. If he says he has to stay home because of his parents, the other person will be suspicious and start asking more questions. But since you said your parents are not available during school hours , it makes sense why they would need you home so suddenly. This way you can avoid staying at school for too long unless absolutely necessary – you don’t want to raise any suspicion.
With these ideas in mind, along with some common sense, you should have no problem getting out of going to school when necessary without raising any red flags.
- See also: Best Excuses for not doing homework
What do you think about the list of good excuses to not go to school for high school and college students? Share other interesting excuses to not go to school on the comment section below.