Burnout is much more than simple exhaustion from school, or in the current case, home-schooling. According to Psychology Today, burnout is a state of mental, physical, and even emotional exhaustion, resulting from repeated or prolonged stress. While it isn’t abnormal for students to push themselves to the point of exhaustion, burnout happens when they overwork themselves while feeling a loss of control over the situation. The best CBSE Schools in Siliguri urge parents and teachers alike to check for signs of academic burnout in the current scenario when staying connected is all the more important.
Here are a few telltale signs that indicate your child is experiencing burnout, and what you can do to help:
1. Reduced Social Engagement with Family and Friends
Burnout can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression, and all of this can materialize as social isolation. Kids might say that they are too busy or too tired to take part in activities that they usually enjoy. If you see your kid avoiding social engagements that they looked forward to before, it might be a sign of burnout. So, make sure to keep an eye out for how your kid behaves. Be vigilant and enquire if you find your child interacting less and less, not just with you, but also friends.
2. Grades Keep Getting Worse, Even After Your Child Is Working Very Hard
There are students who start very strong and might even be the topper of the class at the beginning of the academic year. This is the time when teachers, subjects, and classes are all exciting and new. But, as the year progresses, academic burnout might set in if your child finds it hard to deal with the workload, difficult subjects, family stress, or even their own expectations. A very common sign of student burnout is graded suddenly trending down in the mid-to-end point of the academic year.
3. Falling Asleep When The Teacher Is In Class
Some children have a habit of staying up late for entertainment, social or studying purposes. This becomes a problem in the long run when they’re sleep-deprived at home or in the classroom. If kids are regularly falling asleep during their online class or even at the dinner table, it might be a sign that they are burning the candle at both ends. It is possible that they have lost all interest in making an effort. The top English Medium CBSE Schools in Siliguri ensure regular discussions with parents to put emphasis on proper routine and lifestyle management of children during the current scenario.
4. Increasing Complain Of Physical Ailments To Escape Homework Or Skip School
Children have been feigning illnesses since forever to get out of attending school. But, if your child is the studious one and generally loves studying, it might be a cause of worry when he/she suddenly tries to use illness as an excuse. However, attempting to skip school is not a foolproof symptom of burnout as they might just be trying to avoid a subject, teacher, or bullying. But, do not completely rule out burnout as that is a potential culprit.
5. Being Late To Online Class Becomes A Regular Phenomenon
Older students typically cope with burnout and exhaustion by sleeping in, which makes them late for their online classes. A sudden issue of tardiness could be a symptom of burnout, especially if children don’t seem to care about their action’s consequences. As parents, you cannot assume that everything is alright with your kids because their teacher hasn’t called to report any kind of issue. You have to pay attention if they’ve suddenly started waking up late. If you want to increase your vigil on your child’s behavior, you must send him/her to a reputed English medium school in Siliguri that gives important to teacher-parent interaction. Then, you will know if your child has been skipping classes or being late for classes, even the ones that they previously looked forward to.
6. Dropping Out Of Extracurricular Activities That They Normally Enjoyed
Kids who feel pressured or driven to succeed in a single area of life might respond to burnout by giving up other activities. A kid who is struggling to manage a stressful academic schedule may drop sports or clubs, even if he/she enjoyed that activity very much.
Some more burnout symptoms to look out for:
- When your child loses his/her appetite and regularly skips meals, even if you make them their favorite dish
- They constantly appear tired or fatigued
- They have trouble falling asleep
- They always display a worried or anxious look on their face
- Their inability to concentrate and focus on anything, be it studies or simple household chores that you’ve asked them to complete
How Can Parents Help?
First, you have to determine that the problem is burnout. Many of these academic burnout symptoms are associated with kids who are dealing with mental health issues, bullies, or substance abuse disorders. Interacting with kids and playing an active role in their lives can help parents understand the real issue. It would also help if you constantly keep in touch with the school that your child attends. You can talk to the teacher and get a report on how your kid is faring in academics and extracurricular activities.
If academic burnout is the real problem, parents can:
- Work with children to craft challenging, but achievable goals
- Set an example for self-care and show kids the importance of moderation in all things, including studying
- Help kids in maintaining a healthy schedule, which includes fun and stress-relieving activities
- Vocalize positive, realistic expectations that motivate kids to succeed, without feeling pressurized or thinking that they need to push themselves to unhealthy habits
- Let children know that perfection is not always necessary, and failure is a natural and healthy part of life that plays an important role in achieving success later
Do you notice student burnout symptoms in your child? What do you do to tackle this problem? Kindly share your thoughts in the comments below.
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