Late summer biology. What the August body is telling you.

My son told me last August that he was tired of being on holiday. He was eleven. He had six weeks of summer. He wasn't ungrateful — he said it with precision rather than complaint. He meant: the holiday is a long time and my body is ready for the structure that will come back with September. The late-summer readiness is a real biological phenomenon that doesn't get discussed enough.

The late-summer readiness is a real biological phenomenon. The light is changing. The day length is decreasing. These produce measurable hormonal changes — increased cortisol in the morning, increased appetite for challenge.

The late-summer readiness is a real biological phenomenon. The children who say 'I'm bored' in August are not ungrateful. They are reporting accurately what their body is beginning to do: prepare for autumn. The light is changing. The day length is decreasing. These produce measurable hormonal changes — increased cortisol in the morning, increased appetite for challenge. The late-summer readiness is a real biological phenomenon that doesn't get discussed enough. The child who arrives bored of the holiday has rested exactly right. The August body is sending a signal. It is worth reading correctly. It is worth knowing about and acting on.