09/09/2025
📚 Do you have a little one who has started or returned to school? Have you heard of ‘after school restraint collapse’? If not then read on…
😊 You may wonder why your child’s teacher talks about how lovely they are during the school day but once they are with you it’s another story...
😫 They may have meltdowns with temper tantrums or they may be withdrawn and refuse to engage with you for a while after school. This is actually really common behaviour in children under 12.
😢 Parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith says “They have spent all day at school holding in frustration, fear, anxiety, anger and other uncomfortable emotions, because they know that it is “naughty” to let them out at school. When they get home to you, however, things are entirely different.”
❤️ Experts say this shows that your children feel safe enough with you and loved enough to let out all of their bottled up emotions. So really it’s a sign of your great parenting!
How can we deal with it?
❓Try not to ask lots of questions as soon as they come out of school.
🍌 Give them a snack – they’re likely to be tired and hungry so a bit of quiet time and some food is a good idea.
🏃♀️ Once they’ve had a snack, exercise can really help them to blow off steam if they need to.
🤗 If they are upset or having a meltdown try to keep calm, acknowledge their feelings and let them know you are there for them.
😀 And remember, it’s totally normal and you are not alone.
