Have you ever wondered why your child comes back from school in a bad mood ?

Children can go through multiple emotions through the day, which they may or may not articulate. Especially young children may have difficulty describing their negative experiences at school or with friends. As children grow older, their speech and language skills develop, which helps them to express their experiences and emotions better.

Below are some pointers in identifying behavioral changes in children:

  • Does the child scream/shout while going or coming back from school?
  • Is the child restless or showing increased irritability?
  • Is the child reluctant to do any academic work?
  • Child exhibits intense anger and aggression when forced to complete academic work

In order to understand the behavioral changes, look out for changes in routines such as:

  • Sleep - Does the child feel rested with adequate hours of sleep
  • Appetite - Is the child eating well or skipping meals during the day
  • School - Parent needs to get a feedback from school regarding any behavioral changes
  • Learning - Identify if the child has any academic issues (difficulty to memorize, spelling, math or writing issues)
  • Activity - Child has difficulty in sitting for a long time and completing tasks

Parental Tips

  • Don't repeatedly question or nag the child about how the day went, if the child is irritable
  • Listen to the child about his/her difficulties regarding learning, friends or any other specific issues, that the child is sharing
  • Let the child relax and have play time before initiating academic work
  • Tuitions not to be scheduled immediately after the child gets back from school
  • Physical punishment should not be used to manage the child's behavior

It is important for parents to explore child's friends and identify if there are any peer related issues, such as bullying at school premises or school bus. Any academic problems such as learning issues need to be identified and addressed. Parent management at home needs to be consistent to address behavioral issues in children.