If your child regularly has meltdowns after school, fear not. Most kids do, even older ones. And this is quite normal. Children show their worst side to us parents. And this is because they feel most comfortable in our zone.
In school, kids behave properly, figure out their belongings, get their act together and are in control. All of this requires a lot of mental, physical and emotional energy. And kids deal with it all alone and the whole day. So, when they get home, they just drop the bag and let out their emotions.
This brings us to the question how to help them achieve calm after school?
-Well, just like adults a happy heart begins with a happy tummy. So, give them something to eat. Many parents actually carry a snack for pick up time, and kids actually munch it all the way home and feel good instantly.
-Don’t ask them anything on the way home or as soon as you get home. Not even how was your day. Just a hug, snack and walk back. Wait for them to initiate talking about their day. Having said this, I do know of children, who talk nineteenth to the dozen all the way home and then are calm. That’s their way of letting things go and achieving calm. Not all are the same.
-When they get home give them some space and freedom to do what they like for a while. This helps them do the things they have missed and invariably settle down.
-Encourage calming activities like colouring or building blocks or just good old rest with a hot chocolate.
-Urge them to play outside. Freely running outside after a structured day at school, releases pent up emotions and kids are happier.
Have any more tips? Feel free to share them at editor@littlepanda.cz