Seriously, how long is this going to last?!!?

[RachA]

Daniel started school in Sept 2011. He did mornings only from 2nd week of Sept to 8th Nov, then he went onto full days.
He sleeps at night from 8pm to 7.30am and also naps in an afternoon when he gets home from school on Mon, Wed and Thurs, with naps also on a Sat or Sun.

I may be being overprotective but i think he is still really struggling with being tired. Before Christmas Wed's were our worst day, he'd be really grumpy going home from school and his behaviour was awful. Since going back to school in Jan that Wed has now turned into Wed, Fri and sometimes Thurs. So i have 2 or 3 days when getting him home from school is a nightmare and he's so overtired on a Fri that he actually can't fall to sleep for his nap.

I know that he will get used to it but it seems to be taking so long. Everyone else at school had a bad first term but it's been getting better for them whereas it just seems to be getting worse for us.
He has been going to bed earlier on some evenings when he really isn't coping but i don't want to get into the habit of putting him into bed at 6.30pm..
He really enjoys school btw.

Anything i could be doing to help him or is it just a case of riding it out?

 

[hellohefalump]

Madeleine's really tired aswell. She's been full time since September. I think it is a case of riding it out, it's not like we can pull them out of school. I think your doing the right thing putting him to bed earlier, that's all you can do I think xx

 

[MummyJo]

8 seems quite late for him to be going to bed, has that always been his bedtime? I thought 6.30-7.30 is the 'norm' for this age?

My eldest started school (full days) in September as well, she only turned 4 in August!!!

She really struggles with tiredness too, but I wouldn't dream of putting her for a nap when she gets home as it just throws off her whole routine and makes things worse. Plus it isn't really helping them get used to the day, it's countering it completely.

We're trying to just ride it out and it is improving. Some days she's a right little madam and we can tell it's because she's really overtired so do chilled activities and start winding down for bed about 6pm.

I've spoken to her school a few times about it, as I was concerned how it was affecting her in school but they pointed out how resourceful kids can be in terms of energy and said the best thing I could do is keep our routine as it's always been and perservere.

Legally speaking (and using the age in your ticker for your LO) Daniel doesn't have to be in school until April, so if you think he's struggling or needs a day off/afternoon off, do it. At the end of the day you know your child better than anyone else!

I'll be completely honest though, sometimes I think I worry too much about how my LO is coping with tiredness and full days at shool and that in turn makes her worse. She loves school and would go every day including weekends if she could, so other than some stressful evenings it can't be doing too much harm.x

 

[RachA]

Thanks.

8pm has always been bedtime - OH gets back from work around 7-7.30 so it allows him to see Daniel. Plus a 6.30 bedtime would mean a 6.30am awake time which really wouldn't work for us. OH is trying to find another job closer to home so that we can start getting him to bed for 7.30.
We haven't introduced an afternoon nap due to tiredness, he's just never dropped the nap from when he was a toddler - he does need them less and less though (during the school holidays he will only nap a couple of days as he's getting more sleep overnight and his days are a lot more relaxed). So a nap for him is all part of his normal routine!


Thanks for the assurances - the school haven't any problems with his behaviour there, he saves it all up for home lol. I know he really enjoys it too. I know he will get used to it, it just seems to be taking so much longer than everyone else there. But then Daniel is an August b'day too so is still a lot younger than most of his peers at school.

 

[JASMAK]

My kids go to bed between 7:30 and 8, but when they were 5/6 they went to bed at 7 at the latest. I would try an earlier bedtime, and yes, my kids are exhausted after school