How to avoid after school tantrums

By Siobhan Mason

Can school gate tantrums be nipped in the bud with the right kind of snacks? Siobhan Mason finds out.

You’re looking forward to catching up with the kids after a hectic day at work. But all you get is tantrums and tears, making even the shortest of journeys home seem like miles. Is there anything you can you do to make school-pick up a happier affair?

‘If your children last ate at 12, it’s likely their blood sugar will have fallen quite low by the time they get home from school,’ says Azmina Govindji, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. ‘Like you when you’ve missed a meal, they might feel low in energy, grumpy and a little light-headed. So it’s really important to have that mid afternoon healthy snack at home, or on the way home from school,’ she says.

Be snack savvy
High carbohydrate and high protein foods generally satisfy the appetite for longer than high-fat foods. So while it’s tempting to offer portable treats such as sweets, crisps or biscuits, such quick-fixes will only be a temporary solution, leaving them low on energy and soon desperate for something else to eat. They need nutritious foods that make their blood sugar rise and fall gently, keeping them – and you- on an even keel until teatime.

‘You don’t have to be super healthy,’ says Govindji. ‘Think of what you can give them that replaces the unhealthier snacks but still has the value of taste, texture and fun. Find a happy medium.’ For sweetness and convenience, she recommends bananas, raisins or a child-sized smoothie.

‘A banana is one of the most convenient, healthy foods,’ she says. ‘Raisins are sweet, have a nice texture and because smoothies contain the whole crushed fruit, they are richer in fibre than a fruit juice and will sustain them for longer.’

A packet of nuts – if allergies aren’t a problem – or mini-oatcakes are a more energy sustaining option than a packet of crisps. ‘To children, they are a bit like crisps, but are higher in fibre,’ says Govindji. ‘They are salty, which isn’t ideal, but you have to start somewhere to develop healthy habits.’ For children used to crunching after school, other lower salt, more fibrous crisp alternatives include sesame breadsticks, rice cakes or Japanese rice crackers.

For a really healthy post-school snack, give almonds a try. A small handful of almonds – about 7 – kept Azmina Govindji’s children (now teenagers) going after school when they were younger. ‘Almonds are high in protein, and rich in essential vitamins and minerals, and because they are slowly digested, they really filled my children up and helped them play better together,’ she says. Other nutritious options include a breakfast biscuit, cheese and grapes, mini-rice cakes, yoghurt tubes and cheese triangles. Children love variety and choice, so why not put a mixture in a Tupperware pot or food bag for them to nibble on the way home?

‘If you feel biscuits are only option, at least go for ones with oats or dried fruit in them,’ suggests Govindji. In other words, stock up on the Garibaldis and fig rolls rather than the chocolate digestives.

Getting lunch right
Ensuring your children have a well balanced lunch may go a long way to helping minimise your chances of after-school hell, as this is the meal that is fuelling them until pick-up. ‘They need a really good protein source, such as cheese, meat, eggs or fish such as tuna,’ says Govindji. ‘Make sure they have fruit such as grapes or a satsuma and a drink. Fluid is very important for energy and concentration. Although it’s best to avoid sugar-rich drinks, there’s nothing wrong with having a sugary calcium-containing milkshake if it’s balanced with a healthy sandwich and fruit,’ she says.

The School Food Trust have lots of healthy packed lunch ideas. Go to the parent and carers section to find low-cost, low effort or vegetarian options.

Running on empty
While the right food choices can help with your child’s mood, don’t expect miracles. In his book, Superpowers for Parents: The psychology of great parenting and happy children, psychologist Dr Stephen Briers points out that your children’s concentration is being taxed to a much greater degree than yours just by the routine business of daily life. All those things you do automatically still take immense concentration in young children, so their brains are often ‘running on empty’ after a long school day.

‘Mental tasks involving a lot of processing power may have a knock-on effect on children’s ability to keep their behaviour in check,’ explains Dr Briers. ‘Self-control is like a muscle. Exercising it within sensible limits increases its power, but like a muscle, our self-control can also be pushed to the point of fatigue, resulting in a sudden and dramatic collapse.’

Sound familiar? If so, quiet time, cuddles and empathy may be just as important as those after school snacks. ‘Food can go some of the way to restoring your children after school, but there’s no replacement for one to one attention,’ agrees Govindji. Oh well, at least by choosing nutritious after-school snacks you’ll have bought yourself a bit of time to shower attention on your little angel before you have to start preparing tea.