Does your child act out, throw tantrums, or seem upset when they get home from school? In child care, this phenomenon is known as “after school restraint collapse,” and it’s a normal behavior for children to display on occasion. Below is a guide that explains why it happens and what you can do to help them. 

Why They Happen

Throughout the school day, your child experiences struggles and stresses, while having to maintain a high level of self-control and good behavior. This can be especially difficult for those in early childhood education, like preschool.

When they get home, they begin to release all the pent-up frustration, energy, stress, and upset they’ve experienced during the day because they’re in a familiar, comfortable environment where they feel safe. This reaction is common in children up to 12 years old.

Your child may also regress, displaying behaviors and speech patterns of a younger age. The behavior usually begins within a few minutes of getting home and lasts until they’ve worked it out of their system. 

What You Can Do to Help

The best child care you can offer in this situation is to be supportive, compassionate, and offer a shoulder to cry on, if needed.

Devote the first half-hour after your child gets home to providing whatever support they need, which can range from lavishing them with attention and affection to giving them space while they process the day.

Listen actively if they talk about their day, validate their feelings, and offer comfort. You can send them to school with a small reminder of home, like a small toy, to reduce their stress.

Enrolling them in after-school child care or an early education program may also help make the transition smoother, allowing them to unwind with friends in a fun environment before heading home.

Are you searching for a child care program to help enrich and nourish your child? Kids & Cribs Child Enrichment Center in Fort Thomas, KY, has provided comprehensive, engaging early childhood education programs and care since 1984. From preschool to after-school care, they build learning activities around the kids’ unique learning styles and interests, cultivating a rewarding and well-rounded experience. Learn more about their approach online and call (859) 441-5888 to talk about enrollment.