September Newsletter 2026

The first few weeks back at school can be exhausting for children.

After weeks of later mornings, relaxed routines and plenty of free time, suddenly the alarm clock is going off early again. They’re back in classrooms, concentrating, listening, learning, following instructions and navigating friendships for most of the day.

So when it’s time for their Karate or Kickboxing class after school, you might suddenly hear:

“I don’t want to go anymore.”

Before assuming they’ve lost interest, it’s worth considering something much simpler…

They might just be tired.

Children Don’t Always Know How to Explain Tiredness

This is particularly true for younger children.

They may not have the emotional awareness or vocabulary to say:

“I’ve enjoyed being back at school, but concentrating all day has left me mentally and physically tired, and right now I just want to stay at home.”

Instead, it comes out as:

“I don’t want to do Karate anymore.”

Or:

“I don’t like Kickboxing.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve stopped enjoying it.

Sometimes “I don’t want to go” really means “I’m tired and I don’t want to get ready and leave the house.”

And there’s an important difference.

Quite often, the child who didn’t want to go is perfectly happy once they’re actually in the class with their friends, moving around and doing something familiar that they enjoy.

Ease Them Back Into Their Routine

Adults can feel tired when returning to work after a holiday, so it shouldn’t surprise us that children can feel the same when returning to school.

Give them a little time to adjust.

Here are 5 simple things parents can do:

1. Re-establish bedtime routines
Earlier nights can make a huge difference. Children may need more sleep than usual while their bodies adjust to early school mornings again.

2. Give them some downtime after school
They don’t necessarily need to go straight from school mode into activity mode. A snack, drink and a little quiet time can help them recharge.

3. Avoid making a big decision on a tired day
If your child suddenly announces they want to give up something they previously loved, don’t rush into cancelling it. Give them a few weeks to settle back into school first.

4. Focus on getting there rather than how they feel beforehand
Try: *“Let’s get ready and go. If you’re still feeling really tired afterwards, we can talk about it.”* Often the hardest part is simply getting out of the door.

5. Remind them how they normally feel afterwards
Talk about their friends, instructors, achievements and the things they enjoy about their class. Help them remember why they started rather than focusing only on how tired they feel at that particular moment.

Tired Doesn’t Always Mean “I Want to Quit”

Of course, if a child consistently says they’re unhappy with an activity, we should listen and find out why.

But a tired Tuesday evening during the first couple of weeks back at school probably isn’t the best time to make a long-term decision.

Sometimes children need a little help getting back into their routine.

And sometimes the child saying “I don’t want to go” at 4.30pm is the very same child walking out of their martial arts class an hour later smiling, chatting and asking:

“Can we get something to eat on the way home?” 😄

Give them time. Give them encouragement. And help them rediscover their routine.

The enthusiasm may not have disappeared at all – it might simply be hiding underneath a very tired child.