Pyjama Days for Fatigue Management
A few years ago I was introduced to the concept of pyjama days…. Literally, as you would imagine, a day where you don’t get out of your pyjamas. It’s an indoors day, a couch potato day… a rest day. They don't teach you this at university when you learn fatigue management skills!
I used to associate not getting dressed with being lazy… but now I have a new understanding of the need for a pyjama day now and then, especially for kids with hypermobility conditions.
Pyjama days give you & your child permission to take a break, to rest, to relax. It takes away the expectation of going out at all that day, which means that schedules and time pressures can go out the window for the day. Rainy days make perfect pyjama days, but it doesn’t have to be rainy for a pyjama day to be implemented. Many a sunny pyjama day has occurred. Trust me.
The family that I learnt the idea from had a pyjama day quite frequently. It was almost a monthly occurrence that was pre-scheduled. This idea was to help manage fatigue but factoring in a ‘downtime-day’, a rest day where they knew rest would be had because there was no leaving the house in your PJs.
Another family I know who don't have kids with hypermobility, but with learning difficulties, also have a scheduled pyjama day the first day of the school holidays. Parents & kids + pyjamas + DVDs.
Activities for a pyjama day can include:
– watching TV/DVDs
– reading books
– doing puzzles
– doing quiet craft
– playing with lego/construction toys
– playing with playdoh
– basically any fine motor activity
It all sounds so hard, right?! The hardest part is giving yourself permission to not get out of your PJs.
Challenge yourself to a pyjama day next school holidays, or even next weekend. Your little one with hypermobility and their body will appreciate it. And so will you.