End of Year Heat, Tiredness and Flaring Emotions.

It’s the end of the year, and with this sudden burst of heat, a lot of us are feeling physically and emotionally tired. This will most likely get worse, especially for our infants’ students, the closer we get to Christmas. This is a busy term with school camp for our senior students, elections for year 5, visits from our 2026 kindergarten students, award ceremonies, graduations, step-up…the list goes on. Add to that the heat (and it’s not even summer yet), Christmas preparations and parties, ballet concerts, winding up work for the end of the year, and there is no wonder that we all get exhausted come November, December. I thought that I’d share some tips to help you cope with some of the challenges that could go along with that.

1. Sleep will be your best friend. It’s sometimes hard to get enough sleep in a busy world, but it can make all the difference in how we cope. There is no shame in catching up on the weekends, nor in allowing your kids to have an afternoon nap. Even 30 minutes can make a difference to their well-being. The Europeans have been doing it for centuries, with siesta still existing in some parts till this day.
2. Meal preparation on a Sunday for the busy week ahead can seem daunting at first, but once you put some things into practice, you will never go back. Plan what meals will work for your week, considering the family’s activities, and have the ingredients ready to go. Cut up veggies and store them in an airtight container, make bases for things like stir fries and pasta dishes. Some dishes can be made and stored in the fridge or freezer ready to be heated and served. Being prepared will save getting takeaway and getting stressed about what you’ll have for dinner.
3. For those emotions like anger that come out when our children (or ourselves) are tired, try to recognise what is at the base of the emotion (being hot, tired or stressed), rather than the bad mood or outburst. Having a calm conversation, and simply saying in a calm tone, “You seem so tired, how can I help?” or “Let’s sit down and have a cuddle and talk about what’s going on. You’re not yourself.” can make your family members feel supported and heard and helps to calm their emotions. Just taking some slow deep breaths can also do wonders in calming our brains and bodies.
4. Use dinnertime as a time when everyone can share information about how their day was, what other activities or changes will be happening the next day so there are no surprises, or to share excitement or anxiousness about something that’s coming up. Again, this will help make your children feel safe and supported, easing their concerns and potentially ensuring a better night’s sleep.
5. Communicating with your child’s teacher is beneficial. Probably through email is the best option. Knowing that your child has had a busy weekend, late night etc. makes a huge difference to how we can support them at school. We can take this into consideration and be understanding when they fall asleep in class, get more emotional than they normally would or don’t feel like playing with particular friends.

Hopefully you have had some useful take away from this. Remember that in my role as Pastoral Care Worker, I am here to help you as well as your children. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need support though this hectic term.

Deanne March