Year 7 and exhausted all the time

[MrsFletch]

Is this normal? My son has just started in Year 7 and is pretty much exhausted all the time which makes him extremely difficult to deal with at times. His normal bedtime was around 8.30pm but now he needs to be in bed nearer to 7pm. This is making it difficult with things like scouts not finishing until 9pm. He had to miss it this week as he was just too tired. Late nights for fun events like sleepovers are completely out of the question. I realise that his school day is now more tiring along with a 30 minute walk there and back. I know there isn't a solution to this but just having a moan I suppose!

Just check what he's up to at night..... As a teacher I've known Y7s who aren't sleeping for the right amount of time because they're interrupted by text messages in the night or they're staying up playing XBox. He may also need feeding more so he has the energy to sustain himself through a longer school day. The start of Y7 is hard but I don't think it should be such a big jump energy wise!

Thanks, I know he is sleeping as no phone or tv/xbox in room. Also, whenever he does wake he gets up to find us! Good point about the food. He is eating well at mealtimes but then still constantly asks for snacks in between, maybe this is genuine need rather than greed?!

If he's anything like my DS (only Y5) he will need the snacks between meals to keep his energy levels up. DS is tall, stick-thin and constantly on the go. He just can't take in enough at one go to (mealtimes) to sustain him. I don't think it's greed, they're just growing and need the extra calories.

I think it may be a genuine need for the snacks, it depends on what his school dinners are like. If he isn't overweight then more food won't do him any harm. Going to bed early except when he has something organised might be a good idea for now.

Sounds like a big development spurt. Lots of food and sleep. Be thankful he wants to sleep early. Time will come soon enough when he wants/needs lots of sleep but can't start/finish until late in the evening/day.

It's unlikely to last at this level with winter coming. If it does, best to visit GP for advice.

Personally I have been preparing for secondary school for years my sons bed time has only just moved to 7:30 ,made sure the clubs outside of school finish by them

The only thing I can say Is any chance of finding a scout group that finishes earlier or possibly riding to school so he can have a little lie in

DS was exhausted all that first term. It's a huge jump. Neither half term nor the end of term could come soon enough. But it does get better, although during the spring term I pretty much force fed vitamin pills as the adrenalin of the first term was no longer there.

Does he go to bed early on weekends too? I found that dd had to keep to 8.30pm bedtime on the weekend or she'd be grumpy and lethargic.
Agree with the constant refuelling of snacks. Include a multi-vitamin now too.

Is he OK in himself? Perhaps try ot make a bit of extra time for him. I think the transition can be harder than it seems with all the new routines and new people.

I think this varies massively from child to child but I have experience of at least one of my 3DC being exhausted by Y7 and the others having their 'moments' when the wheels came off during the first year.
I think the move to secondary is a massive leap both physically and mentally. A 30 minute walk each way, plus bag carrying and walking round school all day with bags is hard work. Add to this the strain of change of routine, new children, teachers and subjects to get used to, plus the physical layout of the school to learn, remembering books, kit and homework - I know I'd be exhausted.
I'm sure most scout group leaders have come across the tiredness issue before. I'd have a chat with the scout leader and try and make the meetings when you can but don't stress if you can't. It would be a shame to lose the familiarity of the scout group when everything else is changing.

I'm sure you know that it's just time and lots of patience needed until he gets used to it. Year7 is only just out of primary - still little really.

Ds1 is shattered. Would normally be up at 6.30 on weekends but now waking about 7.30 at earliest. Hasn't been eating much during day but he's asked to have packed lunch from today so I've given him loads of nice stuff and hope that will give him some energy!