My eldest daughter moved into Junior school last September, and she is finding the work much more challenging than she did for years one and two. Her friends have also told me that they have to work hard, and they found it difficult to adjust to a new routine in the classroom. They all love to learn and grow, but they do find it exhausting, and it seems to manifest in physical ways. Many of them have experienced the regular seasonal sickness bugs that travel round school, and we succumbed to it as well back in October. There are lots of arguments and tantrums, efforts to avoid PE (for both my children), and general lethargy about getting up for school in the morning.

My daughter, for example, has been suffering with tummy aches for the past few months, on and off. We have visited our GP and were referred to the local hospital for a consultation, where the doctor couldn’t find evidence of any underlying medical condition. They have taken blood and we wait for the results. Personally, I think the tummy aches are related to my daughter’s mental health. We have established that she might have similar personality traits to her dad, namely anxiety, and we need to ensure she is supported so that it doesn’t become a serious problem. All I can do is talk to her about anything she finds difficult or worrying, reassure her that she is doing a good job, and keep in contact with her teachers to ensure we monitor the situation and stop it from progressing. It is all part of the learning curve for me as a parent, and we take each day as it comes.

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