Have you ever noticed how a child who was “fine” at school completely unravels in your program at 3:30?

The tears. The shutdown. The explosive reaction over something small.

It’s not random. And it’s not because your program is the problem.

In this episode, we unpack the hidden emotional cost of “holding it together” all day at school — and why before and after school programs often become the place where everything spills out.

We explore:

• What masking looks like in school-age children
• Why behavior escalates after dismissal
• The neurological toll of constant self-regulation
• The added pressures kids are carrying today — technology, peer dynamics, bullying, academic workload, unrealistic expectations
• Why your program often becomes the safe landing zone

But this conversati ...