3 Quick steps to avoid the after-school meltdown

When my kids started at their new school, I was worried about how they would feel when they got home every afternoon. Attending a full day of school for the first time is a lot of work! Would they be exhausted, cranky, and totally unable to cope? 

I’d heard horror stories about kids melting down in dysregulation after getting home from school, and I really wanted to prevent that. It turns out this phenomenon is so common that there’s a technical name for it: “after-school restraint collapse.”  

Common or not, I didn’t want to think about what would happen if all four of my kids melted down every day after school! So I did some research and made an action plan, and so far (knock on wood!) the kids have been doing great after school. Here’s what has been for us working so far. 

If there is just one thing to take from this list, this is it. My kids are somehow totally depleted of energy after school every day, so I’ve started bringing a snack in the car so that they can munch on the drive home. And it’s made all the difference.

Some days I show up with homemade sourdough muffins; other days it’s a prepackaged bag of popcorn. You don’t need to spend a ton of effort on this. If your kids walk home or take the bus, you might have a snack waiting for them at home instead of eating on the commute.

Just take it from one mom to another and hand them a snack. Everyone will be so much happier.

My kids usually don’t want to talk about their day right after school. They’re tired and need to decompress. (Then later, they somehow have a million things to tell me right at bedtime!)

So we’ve started listening to an interesting audiobook in the car on the way home. They love this relaxing routine of “snack and audiobook in the car.” It sets the tone for a mellow afternoon as everyone comes home feeling a little calmer and less hungry.

Your kids might want to go play outside for a while, read books on the couch, do a coloring page, or just play together. Whatever they prefer, it seems to really help if the kids have some down time to play and recharge before starting on homework and sports.

When my kids came home from school with homework for the first time, they got a bit overwhelmed! I can see how this change felt like a big adjustment for my formerly homeschooled crew.

After they’d had some time to play, I pulled out my trusty visual timer and sat down next to them. “Let’s see how much you can get done in 10 minutes,” I said. “I’ll sit next to you in case you need any help.”

Wouldn’t you know it? They zoomed through their homework, eager to beat the timer. I don’t know if we will always use the timer, but at least during this adjustment period at the beginning of the year, it’s been a Godsend.

I’m still new to this school mom thing, but that’s what’s working for us so far. Now I’d love to hear your best tips: How do you help your kids avoid the after-school meltdown? Please share in the comments below!