High-school burn out?

1. High-school burn out? In my time as educator there were many moments I felt my tank running on empty. Particularly in the high-achieving schools of the southern suburbs of Cape Town where expectations and standards are exceptionally high. Schools offer a plethora of opportunities and facilities for students to engage while all the while expecting top class academic results. As a teacher I found it exhausting, but as for my students? Well they seemed to collapse over the holiday break just as much as I did. Fast forward 8 years and I am now running an Educational Psychologist Cape Town. Through my doors I see many adolescents who resemble the students I once taught. Boys and girls alike whom have gotten to a point where the challenges of juggling high school expectations, social groups, and family politics have brought them to my couch. The prevalence of adolescent mental health concerns appears on the rise and I am finding more parents seeking out therapy for depression and anxiety than ever before. I am often asked by parents how they can support their children in the home particularly those whom may be having a tough time or even possibly experiencing a depressive episode. Here are a few pointers to consider for those parents. 1.Show love, affection and warmth. This may seem obvious but being intentional about this make a person feel valued and loved despite how they may be feeling at a given time. 2.Encouragement and support. Look for the small wins like even getting out of bed when they didn’t want to and praise those subtly and genuinely. 3.Be aware of signs and symptoms. If you feel your child is not making any progress then its best to seek help from a professional. 4.Be patient and listen. Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply to listen. 5.Get some fresh air. Connecting in nature can be really rewarding for the spirit. Don’t put pressure on your child that its going to be ‘just what the doctor ordered’ just let it be what it is. A time to walk and to be present. In addition to Depression and Anxiety, it appears that the recent Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms as students struggle to self-regulate while learning at home. ADHD symptoms can be extremely difficult and rather that just impact one’s ability to sustain attention they can actually permeate into all aspects of daily functioning. As ADHD is a particular interest of mine I also am asked fairly frequently about what parents can do to support their children while at home. The answer relates largely to executive functioning skills. A term used to describe the mental processes needed to function in our daily lives. This would require an article all on its own but 5 small tips to consider would be 1.Chunking. A term used to describe the process of breaking down tasks into smaller ‘chunks’ this makes it far easier to digest. Its like the old saying “how do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time”. 2.Visual timer. These are superb! Clocks like timetimer or other visual timer apps are great compliments to chunking.

2. 3.The Pomodoro technique. One of my favourite techniques based on the premise of four 25minute sessions or ‘Pomodoro’s’ creates an almost gamified approach to working and certainly worth exploring further. 4.Keep on track of things with a digital calendar or organizer. There are many on the apple and google play stores and they make a huge difference if used consistently. Most students with ADHD struggle with working memory so it comes down to ‘write it down’ or ‘lose it’. Dayne Williams in an Educational Psychologist practicing in Cape Town. He works with patients presenting with a wide range of learning barriers but has a particular interest in the area of ADHD. For more information visit www.edugrow.co.za