A calm and well-adjusted child in the classroom can become particularly irritable once they cross the threshold of their home. This contrast can be confusing for parents, who do not always immediately connect their child's behavior at home with what they experience during the school day. However, this shift is not necessarily inconsistent. "The home is often the place where the child can finally relax," explains Cindy Felio. "At school, they hold onto many things: the lessons, the rules, the interactions, sometimes the fear of making mistakes. They can be very well-adjusted all day and then collapse afterward." This relaxation therefore does not necessarily mean that the child deliberately reserves their most difficult behaviors for their parents. "I often tell parents that it doesn't necessarily mean they 'get away with everything at home.' It can also be the place where they feel safe enough to stop 'holding on.'" To determine when it becomes necessary to look further into what is happening, Cindy Felio suggests looking at "mainly the duration, the intensity, and the impact on the child's life": "A few more difficult days do not necessarily worry me. But if it lasts, intensifies, disrupts sleep, causes regular pain, a real refusal to go to school, or the abandonment of activities they used to enjoy, then it is necessary to look further." Parents can also ask the school early on: "The teacher sometimes sees a piece of the puzzle that parents cannot see at home." The 5 signs that may reveal school stress at home include unusual irritability, crying or strong emotional outbursts, very significant fatigue, stomach aches or headaches, and sleep that becomes more fragile. Unusual irritability is the first sign mentioned by the psychologist, where the child may seem much more easily annoyed once home, even though no particular difficulty has been reported during their school day. Crying or strong emotional outbursts are also indicators, with parents often reporting children who cry for no reason. Very significant fatigue may occur after mobilizing a large part of their resources during the day. Stress can also be expressed through the body, such as physical manifestations like stomach aches or headaches, particularly noted in cases where a child has stomach pain every morning. Sleep that becomes more fragile can be expressed as anticipation of the next day, longer falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, or a need to be reassured a lot. Sometimes the accumulation of these manifestations allows understanding that it is not just a few isolated incidents: "Taken separately, these signs may seem trivial. But when combined, they can tell a story of growing concern, or something at school that the child is still unable to verbalize." Other changes may complete the picture, including small regressions such as bedwetting accidents, increased need for help, more childish language, or a greater need for closeness. The same applies when a child suddenly seems much more distracted. "We can also see the emergence of a decrease in attention or mental availability." She adds that sometimes, "it is not necessarily an attention problem in itself, but rather that a large part of their energy is already mobilized elsewhere."