Over the past few weeks our fae has started exhibiting some new and frankly bizarre (for her) behaviour: she has been refusing to see her out of school friends; to go to her childminder (who she loves); and, when her grandparents call, she tends to say ‘bye’ to them, shut the iPad, and walk away.
It has taken a while for me to realise that she is starting to suffer from burnout. She is coming home from school all social-ed out. All she wants to do in the evening is rock in her chair and eat porridge. I would like to say she eats something else during the day, but that would be a lie. She doesn’t scream, shout or meltdown; but quietly and firmly states that she is going home and doing nothing for the rest of the day. I know how she feels. Recently everything has been ‘too loud’ or ‘too big’ but I think this is just code for her being exhausted.
I have been, sadly, very slow on the uptake on this. It is not something that happens because of each day, but is building as the academic year progresses. Dealing with cumulative stress is different from acute. There is no quick fix, it’s going to take time and it’s now a case of coaxing her through until the summer holiday, when she can have a proper break.
Whoever says that children don’t need a long break in the summer needs punching in the head.
Raising the Modern Fae 