"How was school?" — "Fine." That might be the whole conversation. It doesn't mean the child is hiding anything — the real talk often shows up when you're not asking for it.
A child may not be fighting the trousers at all, but where getting dressed leads. The return to routine strains the whole family — so the most useful question is what can be left undone.
Family life can feel exhausting because one parent often carries the invisible work of remembering, planning, deciding, and monitoring. Learn how shared routines can lighten the mental load.