How Does Mental Fatigue Affect Children? – Being Parents

You have no doubt heard of the phenomenon of burnout or burnout  syndrome, a problem so common in adults that is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, fatigue and frustration caused by overwork. Well, did you know that children can suffer from this mental fatigue as well?

This can happen when  children are under very high stress levels. Or when they are asked too many tasks, responsibilities or obligations in their daily life, without taking care of the phase of their development.

Children do need time for leisure and fun, otherwise mental fatigue sets in and can drastically affect the development of daily life. Do you want to know more about it? We explain to you what is mental fatigue in children.

What is mental fatigue and how does it affect children?

Mental fatigue is a state of permanent and intense psychological exhaustion  that can manifest in different ways in children. Here are the most common symptoms:

• Manifestation of frustration, irritability and anxiety.
• Waning mood.
• Attitude characterized by apathy and demotivation.
• Low self-image and low self-esteem.
• Low levels of concentration.
• Aggressive behavior or avoidance behavior.
• Episodes of anxiety.
• Tendency to develop psychosomatic, emotional or behavioral disorders.
• Tendency to develop sleep disturbances.

In general, children’s mental fatigue is linked to the school environment. Indeed, this is the context in which they can feel the most pressure and demand, both from teachers and from the family.

But, as we can unfortunately imagine,  the symptoms caused by mental fatigue have a strongly negative impact on a child’s academic performance.

Moreover, this fatigue  can also affect the social development of children. Because, they no longer have the strength, the desire or the time to interact with their peers.

Who are the most sensitive children?

Some children are more likely to suffer from mental fatigue than others because of a set of  factors or characteristics that make them more vulnerable. We can therefore mention:

• Those who are anxious.
• Children with learning difficulties.
• Those with attention deficit.
• Children who suffer from behavioral problems.
• Those who are not interested.
• Children who are perfectionists, even obsessive.

How to avoid mental fatigue during childhood?

To avoid childhood mental fatigue, it is necessary that adults commit to giving responsibilities to children  according to their age, and the stage of development in which they find themselves.

In other words, when giving them tasks, whether at home or at school,  we must take into account the level of demands they place on children. It is healthy for them to make some effort to fulfill their homework, but always set certain limits. We must also ensure that chores and homework do not occupy all the free time of children.

After all, children are children. And, as parents or educators,  we must allow them to enjoy a fulfilling and happy childhood  during which they can play, have some leisure activities , rest, spend time with their friends, etc.

Indeed, as the American clinical psychologist and writer Kay Redfield Jamison asserts :

“Children need the freedom and the time to play. Gambling is not a luxury, gambling is a necessity ”.

Unfortunately, it seems that in our current society this has been forgotten. Many children are indeed faced with a multitude of homework and extracurricular activities. They no longer have a moment of peace and quiet to do what they want,  and thus rest their mind.

Finally, before making decisions about the use of children’s time, it is worth keeping in mind the following sentence from Frederick Douglas:

“It is easier to build strong children than to mend broken adults”.