01/02/2026
Whether you’re preparing your child for school next week or if you returned last week, this one’s for you. After-school meltdowns are common and here’s why…
All day, your child has been holding it together. They’ve followed rules, managed noise, coped with transitions, met expectations and stayed regulated in an environment that asks a lot of them. For many children, this also means masking and pushing through even when their body is overwhelmed.
By the time they get home, their nervous system is exhausted.
Home is often the safest place for that exhaustion to show. Meltdowns at the end of the day aren’t manipulation or defiance they’re a release. A sign that your child finally feels safe enough to let go.
Instead of asking, “Why are they acting like this?”
Try asking, “What is their body asking for right now?”
Often, it’s not discipline or consequences. It’s predictability, food, hydration, reduced demands and connection.
Be gentle with them. And with yourself!
