School Day Tiredness

Starting school is a rite of passage for all kids – school is where kids go instead of work as they learn about the world around them and gain the knowledge and skills they will need as adults in this rapidly changing world.  Starting school may well be the first time your child has experienced such strenuous and tiring days.  The busy day, packed with learning experiences is likely to tire your child out quickly, especially at first and you may want to consider a slightly earlier bedtime for a while as your little one gets used to the routines.

Here are a few ideas that will help your little one cope with this busy new way of life.

Have a snack ready for after school, something that will fill up the space and keep your child going until family tea time.  Something healthy such as a wholegrain bread sandwich, some fruit and nuts and a glass of milk may be all that’s needed for a quick top up.

• When your child gets in from school, let him/her have some chill out time, time to relax and do something enjoyable.  It could be reading, playing games or watching TV – anything that allows your little one to recoup some energy and regroup their thoughts – a little bit of time and space.
• Make sure the bedtime routine is enjoyable – a warm bath followed by a quick bite to eat for supper is a great way of winding down.
• Once your little one is in bed, read a bedtime story and have a little chat – give your child the chance to remember the day and talk to you about it, sharing hopes, expectations, worries and concerns.

Although the very start of school life is when kids are most affected by such a busy lifestyle, you may be surprised to learn that kids of all ages experience tiredness after school.  When my own kids were young, the jam packed days would creep up on them over the weeks.  Towards the end of term it was quite common for them to get home, have a snack and then fall asleep for an hour while reading or watching TV.  It was something that I thought they would grow out of as they got older, but this actually carried on well into their teens as the school day got longer, schoolwork became more of a challenge and their lives in general got busier!