Pre-Christmas burnout

or The End of the First Term

I’ve always found the run-up to Christmas a bit tiring, to be honest. There’s so much work to get out of the way – especially when you run your own business – Christmas cards to make and write, presents to buy and – again, when you run your own business – usually invoices to send out and even more to chase (getting paid in time for Christmas is a rarity).

But really, this was all absolutely nothing at all, when compared to the run-up to Christmas for a Reception Class child. It’s not enough that they’ve been thrown into this brand-new world, called school, where they have had to learn not just letters, but sounds and actions to go with them. It’s not enough that they’ve gone from the constant playing of nursery school or playgroup to having to sit and read, or count, or write, or draw, or make things, or do PE, or tell stories, or dance, or learn about space, Rama and Sita, the human body… It’s not enough that they have to negotiate the strange rules and traditions of The School Playground. It’s not enough that they have to eat school dinners and make new friends.

No. Just when they’re getting so tired and really ready for a two-week break and relaxing and visits from Santa, they have to go to a whole bunch of rehearsals in freezing cold churches, learn carols, make Christmas cards, have Christmas dinners, class parties, write out Christmas cards, go to pantomimes and perform in Christmas shows well past their bedtime. And, if their parents are cruel enough to send them to ballet, too, they have a whole bunch of rehearsals and performances for that show, too.

Is it any wonder that the vast majority of them get ill at this time of year?

Rosemary was sent home from school at midday yesterday, on her last day of school. She missed the carols round the tree. The week before she was off most of the week and missed the Christmas dinner. A couple of weeks before that, she was off for almost a whole week.

She managed to do four ballet performances in three days (three nights and one matinee – finishing at 9.15pm on two of the nights), the school Christmas musical, the whole-school trip to the pantomime and the class party. She’s been showing a bit of reluctance with school work recently (though was back on form last week and even managed to squeeze in a gold certificate before the end of term) and we were a bit worried that she’d been watching too much TV while ill (well, she has, frankly) or that she wasn’t being challenged enough at school (first term, for goodness sake, give it a rest), or that she needed some help with things she’s struggling with. But, really, when you add it all up, it’s actually a wonder that she (and her classmates) actually managed to do so much and still come out at the end of it able to recognise all the letters of the alphabet, blend a fair few of them into words and even write some of them.

Rosemary, sweetheart, you are a Christmas star and you totally deserve a rest. (Though, sorry, you can’t watch TV all day!)

Have your children been suffering from burnout, too? Or have you? Do you find this time of  year a constant cycle of illnesses? Any tips for avoiding them, or are they inevitable?

Have you read all the Book Week posts? There are even two giveaways, so do go and check them out if you haven’t:

Her Fearful Symmetry review and giveaway, the girls’ favourite books and The Second Baby Survival Guide review and giveaway.