How to Prevent After‐School Meltdowns
Greet your child with a smile and no questions., Have snacks or a meal ready for them., Let your child have some downtime alone., Prepare your child for homework or dinner.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Greet your child with a smile and no questions.
When your child comes home from school, avoid bombarding them with lots of questions about their day or how they feel.
Save the questions for a later time when they are settled and relaxed.
Instead, greet them with a smile and a “welcome home” or a “good to have you back.” Be warm and positive when they walk through the door so they start to feel more relaxed and calm.You can also try asking your child, “Do you want to talk about your day now or later?” so they have the option of telling you about their day now or at another time.
This will show them that you care about their day but understand they may be overwhelmed and need some time to relax before you talk. -
Step 2: Have snacks or a meal ready for them.
Most kids come home from school hungry, and hunger combined with irritation or tiredness can lead to a bad mood.
Avoid a meltdown by offering them snacks or a small meal right when they get home.
You can also put some snacks out in a bowl in the kitchen so they can get at them on their own.For example, you may prepare healthy snacks like cut up fruit or a bowl of nuts.
You can also leave out crackers or chips for your child to snack on when they get home from school so they are satisfy their hunger but not ruin their appetite for dinner. , You should also make downtime part of your child’s after-school routine, where they can unwind and have time to themselves.
Giving your child an hour of downtime once they get home can help them unwind and release some of the anxiety or stress of their school day.You may give your child an hour to themselves in their room where they can go on their computer, listen to music, or read.
Your child may also prefer to be active as part of their downtime where they play a sport outside or run around in the yard for an hour after school. , As part of your child’s after-school routine, you should also prepare your child for homework in the evening as well as dinnertime.
Give them a half an hour to an hour to themselves and then remind them that they should start their homework in the next half hour to an hour.
You should also let them know what time dinner will be so they can prepare for it.
This way, they feel less stressed and can stick to a routine.For example, you may tell your child, “How about we do homework in 30 minutes together at the kitchen table?” or “Remember that dinner is in an hour, okay?” -
Step 3: Let your child have some downtime alone.
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Step 4: Prepare your child for homework or dinner.
Detailed Guide
When your child comes home from school, avoid bombarding them with lots of questions about their day or how they feel.
Save the questions for a later time when they are settled and relaxed.
Instead, greet them with a smile and a “welcome home” or a “good to have you back.” Be warm and positive when they walk through the door so they start to feel more relaxed and calm.You can also try asking your child, “Do you want to talk about your day now or later?” so they have the option of telling you about their day now or at another time.
This will show them that you care about their day but understand they may be overwhelmed and need some time to relax before you talk.
Most kids come home from school hungry, and hunger combined with irritation or tiredness can lead to a bad mood.
Avoid a meltdown by offering them snacks or a small meal right when they get home.
You can also put some snacks out in a bowl in the kitchen so they can get at them on their own.For example, you may prepare healthy snacks like cut up fruit or a bowl of nuts.
You can also leave out crackers or chips for your child to snack on when they get home from school so they are satisfy their hunger but not ruin their appetite for dinner. , You should also make downtime part of your child’s after-school routine, where they can unwind and have time to themselves.
Giving your child an hour of downtime once they get home can help them unwind and release some of the anxiety or stress of their school day.You may give your child an hour to themselves in their room where they can go on their computer, listen to music, or read.
Your child may also prefer to be active as part of their downtime where they play a sport outside or run around in the yard for an hour after school. , As part of your child’s after-school routine, you should also prepare your child for homework in the evening as well as dinnertime.
Give them a half an hour to an hour to themselves and then remind them that they should start their homework in the next half hour to an hour.
You should also let them know what time dinner will be so they can prepare for it.
This way, they feel less stressed and can stick to a routine.For example, you may tell your child, “How about we do homework in 30 minutes together at the kitchen table?” or “Remember that dinner is in an hour, okay?”
About the Author
Margaret Gomez
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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