NO SCHOOL TODAY, DEAR

An influencer mom has sparked an outcry for keeping her child at home one day a month to tend to her mental health

- LESEGO SEOKWANG

MIND your business was the clear instruction from one mom when she shared a clip of her six-year-old daughter taking a day off school to play out side and go shopping.

She knew people were going to criticise her for taking her child out of school for no other reason than to have fun, so she tried to cut them off even before they could start their attack.

Noella Palmento’s video about allowing her daughter, Giada, to stay home from school one day a month “without being sick” to do whatever she likes racked up more than six million views and caused quite a stir.

It sparked a barrage of comments and ignited a debate about whether it’s okay for kids to skip school to take a mental health day. There were plenty who praised the US influencer’s decision to let her daughter take time off school, while others considered it ridiculous.

“A mental health day off would have done so much good for my hurting brain and heart when I was growing up – this is amazing,” one viewer commented.

“I’m a teacher and I’m not even mad about it. Especially if she’s so little!

Mental health days are super important and let kids be kids,” another wrote.

But others weren’t having it. “Why not just do this on the weekend?” one asked. “One day a month is a lot,” another said.

Some expressed concern about the practical repercussions at school. “Make sure you double check attendance policy for how many days you can miss; my niece got held back,” one warned.