I made a post in another group related to my kids situation. I've kept my 14 year old home for almost a week because he was recently the victim of a crime. He's starting therapy this week but doesn't want to go to school tomorrow. His reason is he's scared everyone knows because it was on the local news. He was being helped but his face was blurred so nobody knows it's him but he's scared they do. His school only allows 17 absences in a school year. He's already been out of school almost a week. My 17 year old told me he will look out for him and tell his friends to do the same and he will be alright. He's been sleeping in his brother's bed because he's been scared to sleep alone. He's begging me not to send him back to school yet but he can't keep missing school. I'm trying to be as gentle with him as possible because he's went through something traumatic. I trust my oldest to look out for him. No parent ever wants her child to go through this. There's no parents manual on how to handle a situation where your child has been victimized. I don't want to put him through more stress but he can't keep missing school.