Why kids get more restless at the end of the year? The psychology behind “The Witching Hour”

My client comes in and tells me about his daughter and what he calls “the witching hour.” He describes his 8 year old daughter as more tired, moodier, and mentally drained. So I asked him what he thought was going on (classic psychologist move by the way, answer a question with a question). He went on to say that he thinks the year has taken a toll on her and she is ready for a break. She gets stroppy when she is tired which, when pushed, leads to meltdowns. He notes that if she has had a rough sleep or an overly busy day he can tell by night time because she is feral (his words, not mine) and flies off the handle at the smallest inconvenience.

By the end of the year, even small requests can feel disproportionately hard, not because a child is unwilling, but because their internal fuel tank is running low.

Many families notice this pattern in their kids. Come to think of it, I notice this pattern with adults too, and even myself. The year is winding down, and it seems like my patience is as well. I see the end is near and I want to get there already. I once had a colleague describe it as “crawling to the finish line.”

My client wanted to know the psychology behind it so I thought I’d share my thoughts on this for kids of all ages.

Why does restlessness rise as we approach the end of something?

1. The Accumulation Effect

When we are busy over days, weeks, and months, we can find ourselves in what I call the accumulation effect. Kids (and adults) do not just get tired day to day. It builds.

Across the school year, cognitive, emotional, and social demands steadily stack up. Children are learning new concepts, managing assessments, navigating friendships, following routines, and constantly shifting between tasks and environments. Each individual demand is manageable on its own, but ten months of sustained effort slowly drains their mental and emotional reserves. By the end of the year, even small requests can feel disproportionately hard, not because a child is unwilling, but because their internal fuel tank is running low.

Ten months of sustained effort slowly drains your child's mental and emotional reserves.

2. Developmental Responses to Stress and Overwhelm

You knew there would be some neuroanatomy.

When children become overwhelmed, their stress often shows up in behaviour rather than words. This is largely developmental. The emotional centres of the brain are highly active, while the prefrontal cortex, responsible for impulse control, reasoning, and emotional regulation, is still under construction. When stress accumulates, the nervous system can tip into fight or flight, which looks like irritability, defiance, tearfulness, or sudden meltdowns over things that would usually be brushed off.

At the end of the year, when demands have been high for a long time, this imbalance becomes more obvious. Big feelings surge faster than a child’s ability to manage them, making reactions feel intense, sudden, and confusing for everyone involved.

When emotions surge faster than regulation skills, reactions can feel overwhelming for children and parents alike.

3. The Psychology of Transitions and Endings

Endings and transitions, even positive ones, are experienced as stressors for humans of all ages. As the school year wraps up, children are not only tired, they are also facing change. Routines loosen, expectations shift, and a new year level or teacher looms ahead.

One idea I often share with families is that every change involves some form of loss. We lose familiarity, predictability, and the comfort of what we know. For children, who are still developing the language and insight to make sense of these internal shifts, that sense of loss and uncertainty often comes out as restlessness, emotional volatility, or resistance.

Why Small Inconveniences Trigger Big Reactions

When you put these three factors together, accumulation, developmental limits, and ongoing transitions, you get a nervous system that is running close to empty.

This is where the concept of the window of tolerance is helpful. When children are well rested and resourced, their window is wide. They can cope with frustration, problem solve, and recover from small bumps in the day. As the year wears on and their reserves deplete, that window narrows. Suddenly the wrong colour cup, a sibling breathing too loudly, or being asked to brush teeth feels unbearable. Not because the problem is bigger, but because their capacity is smaller.

Seen through this lens, end-of-year meltdowns are not bad behaviour. They are signals that a child is stretched beyond what they can reasonably manage.

What Can We Do to Help Your Little One (and Yourself)?

Sometimes, ten quiet minutes together is exactly what a tired nervous system needs.

When everyone is running on fumes, support does not have to be complicated. Small, intentional adjustments can make a meaningful difference.

1. Build in more rest deliberately. Even ten minutes of quiet time after school, lying on the couch or doing a low demand activity, can help reset a tired nervous system.

2. Protect sleep routines fiercely. Keeping bedtimes and wind-down routines consistent gives children the emotional buffer they need to cope with busy days.

3. Reduce unnecessary demands where possible. This might mean skipping an optional activity or lowering expectations at home, even when the calendar feels crowded and competing priorities make this hard.

4. Offer more co-regulation. Sitting close, keeping your voice calm, or sharing a quiet moment together helps children borrow your regulation when theirs is depleted.

5. Name and normalise what’s happening. Saying things like, “It’s been a long year and tired brains get upset more easily,” helps children make sense of their feelings without shame.

In Conclusion, My Dear Parents

A rested nervous system makes room for calm, curiosity, and ease.

Restlessness toward the end of the year is incredibly common and completely understandable. What can look like defiance or bad behaviour is far more often a sign of accumulated fatigue, developmental limits, and the emotional load of constant transitions. When we view it through that lens, it becomes much easier to respond with empathy rather than frustration.

As you support your child through this busy season, I also gently encourage you to look after yourself. Parents are carrying their own accumulation effect too. Building in small moments of rest, lowering the bar where you can, and offering yourself the same compassion you give your child can make this time of year feel a little more manageable for everyone.