5 Tips to Stop After-School Meltdowns Before They Start

Stop After-School Meltdowns Before They Start with These Easy to Follow Steps.

If you’re a newbie to school drop off/pickup or a seasoned veteran, you’ll know how sometimes car line can be a little chaotic. You learn to live with and make the best of the moment.

My son started kindergarten this year, a real big step for both of us.

We’re 3 weeks in and we’re just now getting our schedule in order, it does take some getting used to.

What I really wanted to talk about, is the potential for meltdowns after school and how we can better prepare ourselves if and when the time comes.  School pick up tips to stop after school meltdowns before they begin.

Make School Pick up a Breeze with These Simple Steps

Step 1 – Greet them with a Smile

Make sure they know you are happy to see them. My son is typically quite happy, so he comes in the car yelling out “HEY MOMMY” in a happy tone – he’s super chatty, so this might be a different experience for you. 

I tend to respond with the same level of excitement as his. Of course, he’s only 5 and not a grumpy teenager. 

Step 2 – Snack Attack

Throw some snacks and water at those kiddos. Some kids lunch hour is quite early in the day they could be ravenous as soon as you pick them up. It will also help with any possible meltdowns – especially for kindergartners.

Step 3  – Ask Them About their Day

When I ask “How was your day?” I’m usually met with “good.” Not exactly dialogue, is it?

I’ll work on a larger a list of questions you can ask aside from “How was your day?” to help you create a better dialogue with your kids and get them to share in detail. 

I know we can all try to build up to a better dialogue with our kiddos.

Instead, here are some questions to Ask your Kids after school.

• Have you made any new friends? – if so, what are their names?
• Did you learn anything new/interesting today? 
• What was your favorite part about your day? 
• Did you play at the playground – if so, what was your favorite thing to do there today? 
• How do you think you did at school today?

Step 4 – I like to Move it Move it.

They most likely have a lot of bottled up energy – now would be a good time to get them moving – take them to a playground, to the beach, go for a walk, ride bikes – any activity that requires movement.

At my son’s school they get only 20 minutes of recess (which is an issue in itself) and sometimes they get NONE. (Which is why I ask him he went to the playground)

For a 5 year old to be sitting all day to come out of school and just go home without any activity in between, I’m asking for a meltdown. Do yourself and your kiddos a favor and get them outside.

Step 5  – Patience is a Virtue for a Good Reason

With car line being as chaotic as it is, we don’t want them to be greeted with a moody parent. New schools, new classmates, new schedules take some getting used to, especially for younger kids.

Support them through this change by being their helpful guide.

Give grace and love to your children. Help your kids get excited to be dropped off and picked up. We’re their main role models and they tend to emulate our moods.

It all starts and ends with us. I hope you found my Tips to Stop After-School Meltdowns helpful and can put them into practice.

Keep that in mind when picking up your children from school, and if they get dropped off by bus, the same steps apply.

Have a happy and exciting school year!

Share this post with a friend that might be struggling or a parent who’s just started navigating the car line fun. They’ll appreciate it!

RELATED: Have a Child Starting Kindergarten? Help your child with the transition with these 10 Book Suggestions about Kindergarten.

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