Signs your child might be on the brink of a burn out

With everything life demands from our children nowadays there’s no wonder we often find them to be tired, irritable and distant. We as parents simply want what’s best for our children and this so often translates to us wanting them to live full lives. Part of living a full life is getting them involved in many extracurricular activities such as Dancing, Swimming, Science club, Choir practice to name but a few. Each activity demands serious commitment meaning children tend to spend most weekdays going from one activity to another.

Extracurricular activities offer several important advantages like helping kids to explore and develop their talents, encourage social interaction, build self-esteem and self-discipline. They teach sportsmanship and most of the time they are really fun!

The trouble often comes in when trying to determine how many activities to sign your child up for, the general rule is that extracurricular activities should be scaled down when it starts interfering with their daily lives. When there’s no longer time for friends, family, sleep and schoolwork, it is time to possibly reconsider their schedule.

We have put some other warning signs together that could indicate that your child just has too much going on and needs a break:

• They are making excuses or simply refusing to go to an activity they use to love/ enjoy.

• They are over-tired or anxious majority of the time.

• They start developing physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches.

• Not performing well academically.

• Lack of focus and not able to master new skills or abilities in the activities they partake in.

Reflecting on your child’s schedule every now and then is always advisable and remember that not every single part of your child’s day must be structured. Children often benefit from self-directed activities and need some time and space to think on their own, be creative and make age appropriate decisions on what they like and don’t like doing.

Happy parenting!