How to Fake Being Sick to Skip School

Start showing mild symptoms the night before. If you're planning to stay home the next day, tell your parents you’ve been feeling unwell since the evening before.

• Don’t mention it too early the day before, because some sicknesses like stomachaches can go away overnight. Aim to show symptoms after 6:30 PM or after dinner.
• If you've been sick before due to a virus or bug, recreate those symptoms to make yourself seem more believable. Just remember, you can’t get sick from the same bug twice! If you’ve recently visited someone who had a cold or something similar, mimic those symptoms to act like you caught the illness from them.
• Tap your cheeks. When you start catching a cold or develop a fever, your cheeks will flush. You can mimic this by gently tapping your face when your parents aren’t looking. But don’t overdo it—you don’t want to hurt yourself! Or, you can use some blush to create a similar effect.
• Act a little clumsy, as it will make you appear more sick or tired.

Don’t do the things you want to do. Your parents will believe you more if you sacrifice things you want to do as well as things you don’t want to do (like going to school).

• Don’t eat half of your favorite meal at dinner. When your parents ask what’s wrong, say you have a stomach ache. You probably hid some snacks in your room earlier, so you can stop eating to make them think you’re sick because you "don’t feel well.”
• If you had plans with friends, cancel them.
• Apologize to your parents for not being able to spend time with the family or for not watching your favorite TV show.

Start studying but don’t finish your homework. This action implies that you're trying to avoid school while still giving yourself a reason to stay home the next day.

• If you normally do your homework in the evening, start working on it, but occasionally nod off so your parents notice you're unwell, which makes it harder to focus.
• If you usually do your homework on time, keep going to show you plan to go to school, but halfway through, complain to your parents that you feel tired.
• When you don’t finish your homework, your parents will have a reason to excuse you from school.
• This method is particularly useful if your parents are very concerned about grades.

Go to bed early. Going to bed early is a red flag, especially if you normally try to stay up later than usual.

• Don’t say anything or just say that you’re tired and want to lie down.
• Instead, try to grab your parents' attention by walking past them or leaving your room and heading straight to your bed.
• If you really feel a little sick but not enough for your parents to notice, exaggerate your symptoms. (For example, nausea becomes I'm about to throw up everything!) Some studies say you'll actually start to feel what you’re thinking, so this will be a perfect strategy your parents can’t argue with! But remember: this tactic only works if you actually feel sick, so don’t try it if you’re not. This will be more convincing proof for your story the next morning!
• Don’t brush your teeth. If your parents notice, they may come into the room and remind you. At this point, they'll wonder what's going on, and you can tell them you feel unwell.
• Show impatience, maybe even a bit cranky, and express a desire to go to sleep soon. However, don’t act too angry; you want your parents to sympathize because you're sick, not punish you for being rude!

Wake up in the middle of the night. Wake yourself and your parents up around 1 AM and tell them you feel sick.

• If you're pretending to have stomach issues, tell your parents you just threw up (and remember to leave some evidence of vomiting in the bathroom).
• Force yourself to cry (if possible) to add more realism to your sickness. Try your best to act it out! Think about a sad memory, like the death of a pet or something upsetting that would make you cry.
• For symptoms like a cold or sore throat, cough or clear your throat loudly enough for your parents to hear from their bedroom. Rub your face hard right before they enter the room to make your cheeks look flushed and make yourself appear convincingly sick.

Stay up all night. This will create puffiness under your eyes and give you a valid excuse to skip school. Dark circles or bags under your eyes also make your eyes look puffy.

• Go to bed one or two hours later than usual. This way, your eyes will have slight bags and look a little swollen.
• Try to sleep for at least four hours if you don’t want to seem too sleep-deprived on your sick day.

Wake up before your parents and pretend to be sick and vomiting. Go to the bathroom and fake throwing up. If your parents don't wake up, go tell them what just "happened".

Delay putting on clothes. Don't volunteer that you're ready for school. Instead, act as if it's a tough task you can't manage.

• Put on clothes slowly, but not too slowly. Skip a button, don't comb your hair too carefully, and don't bother tying your shoes (or even leave the laces undone).
• Look glum. Think of something sad and make your eyes tear up and appear downcast. You can also rub your eyes to make them a little red.

Fake under-eye bags. Even if you had a full night's sleep and don't naturally have bags under your eyes, there are easy ways to create them.

• Use purple or blue eyeshadow, either from your collection or your mom's.
• Apply water to dilute the color and make it look more natural.
• Blend it well but leave it noticeable enough for others to see.
• You can also use wax and rub it under your eyes.

Act uninterested in breakfast. Having no appetite is a typical sign of not feeling well. Your parents will likely focus on whether you're in the mood for breakfast or if they made your favorite dish.

Object to your parents suggesting you stay home. When your parents decide to let you stay home, don't just shrug and agree.

• Challenge your parents' decision (but only if you don't have to convince them first). They will be more convinced you're actually sick.
• Say, "But mom, I still have so many assignments to finish!" or "But I have a math test today!" If they know you don't usually care about tests, try saying, "But I have band practice or an art class today," or something else they know you love.
• Don't overdo it. Don't casually say you want to take the test when they know you couldn't care less. That will backfire unless you're very careful.
• Don't beg to stay home too eagerly, or your parents will suspect you're faking being sick.

Fake a rash. If you have a rash from an allergy or a contagious disease, you're sure to be allowed to stay home.

• First, scratch your chest until it starts to turn red.
• Try to make the rash look like a circular pattern to make it more convincing.
• Finally, try showing other symptoms that accompany a rash, such as a runny nose or headache.

Fake a fever. If you're good at pretending to be sick, your parents might want to check your temperature. Be ready to act quickly and pretend you're running a fever.

• Tell your parents you want to use the bathroom before they take your temperature.
• Bring a cup with you, fill it with warm water to drink and swish around in your mouth, especially under your tongue. This will raise your mouth's temperature.
• Make sure to flush the toilet before turning on the tap so your parents won't get suspicious!
• Note: this only works if your parents check your temperature under your tongue. If they use an ear thermometer, grab it first and warm it up, like a heat source or light bulb.
• If your parents only feel your forehead to check your temperature, constantly rub it when they aren't looking, or use a hairdryer to blow warm air onto your face, then say your forehead feels hot.
• Put warm water under your armpits, forehead, and cheeks. The heat will make you sweat and look like you're feverish.
• Keep your body temperature around 37°C but below 39.4°C. A temperature below 37°C won't be considered a fever, but anything over 39.4°C will get you sent to the doctor immediately.

Fake a migraine. Pretending to have a migraine is easy because there's no way to prove whether you're being truthful. Just mimic the symptoms, and your parents will believe you.

• Act as if light and most sounds make you uncomfortable. Pretend they are causing you distress.
• Claim that you feel pain only in a specific part of your head, like near your eyebrows. This is a crucial move if you want to act like you're having a migraine.
• Occasionally touch your forehead and frown.
• Say you're feeling dizzy and can barely see. While walking slowly, stop suddenly, close your eyes, and "reestablish your balance" by grabbing something or someone.
• Ask your parents to lower their voices a bit.
• If it's the day before you plan to skip school, lie down in bed for a while and turn off the lights, or if you feel like catching a cold at home, turn off the closest lights and lie down on the nearest couch or chair.
• Ask for painkillers or fever reducers, but don't actually take them.

Fake having diarrhea. This method is particularly effective after breakfast.

• Suddenly rush to the bathroom.
• Spend a while in the bathroom, flush the toilet, and use air freshener to mask the fake smell.
• You could also try faking diarrhea.

Fake having pink eye. Pink eye is a common and highly contagious condition! If anyone suspects you might have it, you're definitely staying home.

• Take some red lipstick (which your mom probably has in her purse) and apply it under one of your eyes.
• Make sure to apply it only to one eye, as pink eye typically affects just one eye.

Fake stomach pain, nausea, or cramps. More than any words, the actual symptom of vomiting makes it easier to fake illness.

• Start complaining of feeling unwell after eating.
• If your parents aren't looking, stick your finger down your throat, but don't go too deep, and you'll begin gagging, not vomiting. As soon as you feel like you're about to actually throw up, quickly pull your finger out. But be gentle, don't hurt yourself.
• Be ready to fake vomiting to complete the effect. Take oatmeal and water into the bathroom, mix both in your mouth, and then vomit into the bathtub for your parents to see.
• You can also fake vomiting by spilling fake vomit onto the floor (or on your bed if you want it to be more convincing). In the morning, claim you don't remember anything and show remorse for anyone who has to clean it up. Be careful with the person cleaning up the vomit, as they might notice it's not real.
• If you're a girl and your period is about to start, tell your parents you're having cramps or that you're on your period. Your dad probably won't want to talk about it, and your mom will understand. No one will be able to deny that.

Fake a cold or the flu. There are many types of flu you can easily imitate. There are also many contagious conditions, so your parents might not want you to go to school and risk spreading it to others.

• Blow your nose into a tissue and throw it on the floor or the side of your bed. Your parents will think you have a runny nose and won't make you go to school if they think you have a cold.
• Breath through your mouth as if your nose is blocked.
• If you and your parents aren't in the same room, hold your nose lightly when answering their questions.
• Wear multiple layers of clothes. You'll look like you're shivering from the cold.
• Sneeze loudly, then blow your nose in front of your parents. Do the same when they're not in the same room but can still hear you.
• Pucker your lips to make them look chapped and scrunch your nose to make it appear red.
• Tell them you have "aches all over" or that you're feeling sore all over.

Fake a sore throat. However, be careful not to be misdiagnosed with strep throat, as that could result in a doctor visit.

• When walking around, open your mouth to dry out your throat.
• Avoid eating and drinking.
• Suck on red-colored throat lozenges to make your throat appear red.
• Make a grimace when chewing. Speak in a low, hoarse voice and sip water frequently.
• Tell them you feel a little scratchy in your throat, or say it feels like you're chewing on grass.

Be aware of your parents' thoughts. Your parents will check on you throughout the day to make sure you're not faking or to see if you're feeling better.

• If your parents are at home with you, just pretend to sleep and be sure to act appropriately when they check on you.
• If your parents are at work, call them to give updates. This will show you're responsible and not just joking around.
• If your parents call to check on you, wait about three or three and a half rings before answering, and try to sound as tired as possible.

Show signs of improvement. If you're staying home, pretend to sleep a lot and gradually start "feeling better."

• Midway through the day, ease up on one or two of your symptoms.
• If you don't show any signs of improvement by the end of the day, your parents might take you to the doctor, and the doctor will figure out you're fine.
• If you think your parents might take you to the doctor, try to stop pretending and admit the truth.

Always act like you're sick. Everyone thinks you're sick, remember?!

• Don't leave the house or get caught outside. If neighbors or friends see you, they might spill the beans.
• Make sure you don't touch any games before your parents get home. If they see you having fun, they'll start doubting that you were ever sick.
• Clear your internet history so your parents won't know you've been playing online all day.
• Especially, don't forget to clear your search history as well.

Ask permission to visit the nurse. Depending on your school, you'll need your teacher's permission to visit the nurse's office. Nurses can be quite astute and are often very good at spotting fake ailments, as they see them every day. However, you can still trick them if you plan to visit them twice at different times during the day.

• Wait for about an hour or two after classes start, then ask your teacher to go to the bathroom.
• After being gone longer than usual, return to class and tell your teacher you just vomited and need to visit the nurse.

Ask the nurse if you can just "rest". Start with simpler requests like this instead of abruptly saying "I want to go home."

• The first time you visit the nurse, tell them you're feeling unwell, dizzy, and need to sleep.
• Ask if you can rest for a while before going back to class. Saying this will make it seem like you don’t necessarily need to go home and that you're trying to power through the school day rather than faking it.

Pretend to sleep. This will make your story more convincing and truly make you seem unwell.

• However, don't overdo it by pretending to snore. Simply cover your face with a pillow or blanket.
• Act sensitive to light (a common symptom of a headache), and make it appear like you're genuinely trying to sleep.

Pass any medical check-ups. The nurse may want to perform tests to verify your story.

• If the nurse wants to take your blood pressure, hold your breath while they measure it. This will lower your blood pressure, making you appear more sickly.
• Tell the nurse you’ve vomited; they usually won’t question that.
• The nurse will likely want to take your temperature. Be prepared by rinsing your mouth with hot water before you meet with them, or you can run a little to raise your body temperature, making you seem more ill.

Visit the nurse for a second time. If the nurse sends you back to class, don't worry! This just means you'll see them again, and this time you'll surely be sent home.

• Tell the nurse you tried but still don’t feel well, and you’re "too sick to focus." This will carry a lot of weight.
• Say you're starting to experience some flu symptoms, like a runny nose, etc.
• Keep it simple. Don’t overdo it by mentioning too many symptoms. Just say you're feeling "awful", "headachy", and "can’t focus in class because of these feelings".
• It’s common to ask them to call your parents, but don’t do that! This will raise a red flag and show them that you’re trying to go home instead of actually being sick.

• If you're wearing makeup, use a pale gray foundation and darken your eyes slightly. Pink tones might also give you a look as if you have eye pain.
• If your parents touch your arm and ask how you're feeling, say that their hand feels cold, not warm.
• For a last resort, mainly for those who are a bit older and trying to fake illness: Do you drink coffee every day? If you really, really want to fake being sick, avoid coffee the day before or the morning of when you plan to fake illness. If you're dependent on it, it could lead to a headache or nausea. The advantage: You get to do nothing and have a great reason to stay home. The downside: You may not be able to do anything at all. So, plan carefully if you want to skip school or avoid a test.
• Read up on how parents detect when their kids are faking illness so you know how to handle their methods. Remember, this article has links to pieces about this topic, so parents might catch on to how their child is faking illness!
• Don’t beg too much to stay home, or your parents will suspect you’re faking.
• If your parents are unconvinced by any of your efforts above, call them while you’re at school. It’ll be more convincing if you actually went to school and then claim you can’t make it through the day (ideally if you want to avoid a test, for example).
• If you’re faking a cold, say you need to use cough oil. The scent of the oil will naturally associate with being sick, making you appear more credible. Rub the oil on your nose so that mucus starts to run, creating the illusion that you're truly sick.
• Don’t leave traces like bookmarks or downloads on your computer; your parents will find out what you’ve been up to on your “sick day.”
• If your parents find out, make sure you have a heartfelt story prepared, like you’re stressed at school or having issues with someone. They’ll be less angry if they understand you’re dealing with personal problems.
• Don’t tell anyone you're faking being sick because they could tell your parents, or their parents will inform yours if your friends go home and tell their parents.

• Don’t fake being sick for more than 3 days. Your parents might take you to the doctor and you could get caught.
• Faking illness too often may cause your parents to stop believing you. If you actually need a sick day later, they may not trust you. Even if you only fake it once and get caught, you'll lose their trust, and they may not believe you even if you are sick (think of the story of the boy who cried wolf).
• Don’t suddenly feel better; people will be extremely suspicious. Gradually reduce two symptoms of your illness each time.
• If your parents give you painkillers or medication, don’t take them—even if they’re watching. Say you’re fine without medication, as it could make you feel worse even if you’re not really sick. You can pretend to take the medicine, but if you do actually take it, make sure to vomit it up later. A useful tip: If you’re genuinely sick, taking cough medicine is okay, but don’t take it more than 10 times a day.
• Don’t skip school for an entire week. It will ruin the fun of one day off, and if you try to skip more, you’ll fall behind in class and end up with more homework. It’s best to take a sick day on Friday (so you can enjoy both Saturday and Sunday) or Monday (since Mondays are typically the worst days).
• Don’t use the same illness excuse too many times or fake being sick too frequently. Your parents will never believe you again.
• Viruses usually last around 24 hours or so. Don’t pretend to have a stomach virus beyond that timeframe.
• Under no circumstances should you take medicine or force yourself to vomit. No medicine is completely safe, and even over-the-counter meds can harm you if you’re not actually sick. Throw up any medicine you’ve taken. Inducing vomiting is very dangerous. It could harm your stomach, esophagus, and teeth.
• If you try to avoid something and it doesn’t go away, it might show up later. Breathe deeply, prepare mentally, and remember that everything will end when the school bell rings. Push through and leave behind all your worries as you walk into school.