Your preschool child may have trotted through the entire day at school with ease; but when he gets back home, you may find that he is either downright uncooperative, tests your patience, is whiny or all of the above. What is going on? What do you do? Psychologists say that it is perfectly normal behavior. I mean, look at how often we don’t feel like doing anything after a long day at work. Kids do go through the same sentiment. How can you help your little preschooler ease back into a home routine with little resistance?
Don’t expect a conversation. What you watch on TV – children talking about their day at school with a truckload of enthusiasm right after school? Does not always happen. Your child’s verbal skills are still developing and they may not be able to tell you as much as you expect to hear. You asking him why he is cranky is not a question he may be able to answer. All he might need is some TLC to get soothe him.
Be a bit more patient. Try to keep in touch with the day care teacher on the things your child is learning at preschool. If he is learning something new like reading longer words, he may be quite frustrated after a long day of doing just that. Understand that and try to expose him to a relaxing activity at home.
Loading up your child with sugary snacks after school can lead to a lot of pent up energy unused and thus to a lot of irritability. Give him something less sugary and more healthy; food that will awake his senses and give him energy.
Encourage some quiet alone time. Taking a child to a mall right after day care can be a nightmare; not because your child does not like a mall but because he may just be too tired. Encourage him to spend some time at home doing what he likes most before going out on a play date or shopping trip.
Above all, read your child’s mind as he comes out of the school gate and do what you think is right for him. No one knows your child better than you do. If you think the day calls for an ice-cream, go for that ice-cream!
Happy Parenting!
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