After School Meltdowns

As I have mentioned before, picking up Thomas at the end of the school day is not always a pleasant experience.  I am often greeted by a frown and whining right out of the gate.  The moment we are out of sight and earshot of other people, the meltdowns start.  Every little thing becomes a big ordeal and he is easily irritated by his little brother, who takes complete advantage of this.  Last year I contacted his teacher about his after school meltdowns to see if there was something going on at school that was bothering him or that he was having trouble with during the day.  She informed me that she could not think of anything that would cause this and in fact "he had been very happy and pleasant" that week.

My thoughts have always been that he is probably trying so hard to hold it together during the day, as he struggles to adapt to sensory challenges like loud noises, bright lights and other things that cause overstimulation for him in the classroom.  Plus the fact that certain situations are still scary to him with his selective mutism. He is probably working harder than anyone to get through his day, so although it is frustrating, I understand why it is probably happening.  They are going to save their meltdowns for the people they love and trust the most.  As his mom, he knows that he can be himself and trust that I will love him no matter what.

I recently stumbled upon this article, which gives some great tips for coping with after school meltdowns if you are experiencing the same thing with your child/children.

How to Cope With After-School Meltdowns