1
It’s like an epidemic that strikes down our youngest inhabitants. Other parents nod in agreement that they too are travelling in the same boat. The symptoms seem to come on quickly. Some light grumpiness, followed by resistance to do anything, and then a bit of shouting, many expressions of ‘no’, some generally incoherent mumbling sounds to replace actual words, and the occasional call of, ‘He bit me’.
It’s the tired. I see it in both my children now, and it happens with sickening frequency at the beginning and end of school
SelfishMother.com
2
holidays.
Has anybody else noticed this? (Please say ‘hell, yes’).
Christmas is obviously a distant memory now as we slope into January with all its ‘Blue Monday’s’ and dark mornings that haven’t yet started to let Spring come in, but the tiredness that came at the start of Christmas and grew over the holiday season is only just abating. The children were tired at the start, because I think by that point they were totally ready for their Christmas break. But rather than it be the peaceful rest their bodies needed, as it’s the
SelfishMother.com
3
most incredibly exciting time of the year they went into overdrive. And although we attempted to keep their usual bedtime routine in place, it’s not always possible and then of course we loaded them up with chocolate, sweets, and Christmas food, spun them around and let them go. Recipe for much tiredness.
Last week was the first week back at school. The first morning was pretty epic for tired/grumpy factor. It was a relief to deliver them at their classroom doors and depart to make a coffee. This week they were still tired, but I
SelfishMother.com
4
noticed it getting slightly better. I have high hopes for next week and maybe by February we will be back to normal.
Sometimes it feels like Mother Universe is playing Good Cop/Bad Cop with us. In one hand, she delivers lovely Christmases and fuzzy warm stuff, and with the other she taketh away some of that and delivers us epically tired kids for the season.
Of course, it isn’t just Christmas. We noticed it with our eldest over the summer holidays too, as she began them so tired from school that she was in a fog of grump for the first two
SelfishMother.com
5
weeks.
The reasons for the tired are clear. We know them and we yet don’t help ourselves over these fun holidays; almost like we ‘take the hit’ for having the fun and we accept the great tired that comes with it.
Ultimately though, there is little more to do than stay calm, let the time pass and let the tired pass. And for true catharsis, write it all down.
SelfishMother.com
This blog was originally posted on SelfishMother.com - why not sign up & share what's on your mind, too?
Why not write for Selfish Mother, too? You can for free and post immediately.
We regularly share posts on @SelfishMother Instagram and Facebook :)
Madeleine Thompson - 16 Jan 18
It’s like an epidemic that strikes down our youngest inhabitants. Other parents nod in agreement that they too are travelling in the same boat. The symptoms seem to come on quickly. Some light grumpiness, followed by resistance to do anything, and then a bit of shouting, many expressions of ‘no’, some generally incoherent mumbling sounds to replace actual words, and the occasional call of, ‘He bit me’.
It’s the tired. I see it in both my children now, and it happens with sickening frequency at the beginning and end of school holidays.
Has anybody else noticed this? (Please say ‘hell, yes’).
Christmas is obviously a distant memory now as we slope into January with all its ‘Blue Monday’s’ and dark mornings that haven’t yet started to let Spring come in, but the tiredness that came at the start of Christmas and grew over the holiday season is only just abating. The children were tired at the start, because I think by that point they were totally ready for their Christmas break. But rather than it be the peaceful rest their bodies needed, as it’s the most incredibly exciting time of the year they went into overdrive. And although we attempted to keep their usual bedtime routine in place, it’s not always possible and then of course we loaded them up with chocolate, sweets, and Christmas food, spun them around and let them go. Recipe for much tiredness.
Last week was the first week back at school. The first morning was pretty epic for tired/grumpy factor. It was a relief to deliver them at their classroom doors and depart to make a coffee. This week they were still tired, but I noticed it getting slightly better. I have high hopes for next week and maybe by February we will be back to normal.
Sometimes it feels like Mother Universe is playing Good Cop/Bad Cop with us. In one hand, she delivers lovely Christmases and fuzzy warm stuff, and with the other she taketh away some of that and delivers us epically tired kids for the season.
Of course, it isn’t just Christmas. We noticed it with our eldest over the summer holidays too, as she began them so tired from school that she was in a fog of grump for the first two weeks.
The reasons for the tired are clear. We know them and we yet don’t help ourselves over these fun holidays; almost like we ‘take the hit’ for having the fun and we accept the great tired that comes with it.
Ultimately though, there is little more to do than stay calm, let the time pass and let the tired pass. And for true catharsis, write it all down.
Did you enjoy this post? If so please support the writer: like, share and comment!
Why not , too? You can share posts & events immediately. It's free!
I am mum to my little chicks, Aisha, 6 and Abel, 4. Originally from Yorkshire, UK, I now live in a little town in the North West. By day, I work for myself as a freelance PA. By night, I indulge my passion for writing.
LIST 
