Just checking is my 5 year old reception child normal

[smileandsmilesomemore]

I expected his first school holidays to be carefree playing, not constant moaning. He moans a lot about needing to watch TV and when that's over he needs ipad then computer games. I'm unfair to put time limit on his viewing and he simply forgot to play sonic and needs to. Then generally I'm rude to him ( tell him what to do, politely.) I'm also unkind because I make him eat fruit and things he doesn't like. When it's bedtime he realises he forgot to play with his friends because he was on a screen all day or whinging about wanting to be.

He did enjoy a bike ride out, even though he said before it that he hates cycling. Arghhhhhhhhhh am I doing something wrong. Maybe he's still tired, it's only the start of second week of holidays here. Send help !

Nope sorry - sounds like you have a very normal child I'm afraid!

Mine are 7 & 10 and I find I have to drag them out and make them do stuff outside - which once they start doing they do enjoy
Other wise they will just stare at screens all day and moooooaaaaaannnn!!!

I think there is always a period of adjustment at the start of the holidays as they get used to having more time to relax/play/entertain themselves.

With the screen time I would agree a set time of day e.g. after lunch and a time limit. Set a timer so he can see how much time he has left. Then stick to it absolutely 100% of the time. He will quickly realise that nagging and moaning is pointless and stop.

Rules and routines will be your friend here. Dc is five. Don’t enter into discussion. Just make the decision that you think will suit best and stick to it.

Even at 15, Miss Iknoweverything accepts some decisions about parties etc with little comment because she is in the habit of it.

Very normal!!! I constantly get moans about being bored 😩
My DS is 6 and has a mahooosive tub filled with Lego, about 30 odd board games, countless jigsaw puzzles, toys galore....but he's constantly bored somehow.
Always asks if he can play on my phone/PlayStation/DS. It's like they've forgotten how to occupy themselves without a screen!

Normal. I have a 6yo who moans about going outside, when parties were a thing he'd moan about going to them, he's rarely excited about anything other than minecraft updates.

Oh dear, I could have written your post OP.

My 5 year old has whinged all day today because he constantly wants to play computer or watch TV. I do restrict the times he goes on but when he has nothing to do or is bored, he does whinge a lot.

The other day we went to visit family in another city and although he was having lots of fun playing with his cousins and eating out etc whenever he had a quiet moment he started complaining about how he couldn't wait to go home to play on the computer or watch TV.

He isn't a screen addict as he does enjoy playing out and doing arts and crafts etc but when he has nothing to do he will always ask for a screen.

This has been my experience too. I think it has been exacerbated by lockdown as (certainly my DC) had so much time on IPads and watching TV. I think it’s hard for us adults to relate as computer games are just so much better than they were when we were young. I have to build myself up to convince them to go out, see people, visit things as I know I will be faced with whinging. That said, I’m probably similar, sad as it may seem. I’d probably prefer to spend time on my phone than have my time managed and filled with constant activities and things that I ought to want to do.

Normal!
We restrict screens to after 5pm or weekend after lunch. Could you have a rule like that so he knows not to ask?

Yep, my 5yo has everything he could want in terms of books, toys, paddling pool etc. I've arranged various sports camps, play dates, day trips etc.

He still moans and whinges and cries about not getting enough screen time. He has loads as it is and I'm really not keen for him to have even more.

I'm going to ride it out until the end of the holidays and then when he starts at school we'll sit down as a family and come up with some rules around screens, toys etc. We're nearly at the end of our hols here though (Scotland)

My 5 year old also tells me I'm mean and unkind and he's telling his teachers...examples of my meanness include no nutella sandwich for breakfast and making him alternate tv choices with his brother.

I have recently got a lot stricter with screens as he was copying rude youtube kids and tantrumming about video games. Youtube is completely banned and video games are only for weekends.

I think in his case some of it is over tiredness, the tantrums tend to be on holiday club/after school club days.

Recent studies have shown that screen time and games etc light up the same areas in the brain as sugar and drugs the reward centres. I know how hard it is to stop scrolling or maybe watching something on Netflix so kids must feel it too.
I think a lot of the moaning and whining is due to that itch to get back on the Screen because it’s easy and feels good.
It’s hard as they get older but at 5 I would be dictating the days shape with an outing or swimming or park etc then like others have said have a few hours allowed screen time late afternoon then off again perhaps for a family film or bath and then bed.
Got to be reasonably chilled too as you can’t entertain all the time.
I used to also add in some in your room time not with screens just so I got a little break so I would say right it’s in your room time read a book or play with something etc and set a time so they weren’t too fed up.
Often they would actually find something to do and start playing or sorting stuff in their room which would go on longer.

I have an about to go into reception child and he's the same he does want to go out and wants his mates round to play, but the lure of the tablet can be strong. The whinging and whining has been dreadful.

He's been in school nursery this last year which had a lot more of an academic push/expectation of learning than I realised so he's needed the down time. And I can be a bit Enid Blyton jolly hockey sticks "right! Let's take a sandwich and some ginger beer and go on a bear hunt!" and he'll look at me like I'm a proper knobhead.

I'm going to text the class WhatsApp and see if anyone wants to go to the park this afternoon to get them to run off a bit of steam.

I have a Y2 DS and it's no better. I was obviously the worst mum in the world yesterday as I didn't let him have access to Minecraft realms! He asked me to apologise for everything I've ever done that's been mean or unkind to him.....yeah if you apologise too! hahaha!

We tend to get by only allowing Switch access after 4pm and TV goes off after a while in the morning. He's also got to read and do some writing in his holiday journal before getting access to the computer too. I also get him out every day without fail - at least the park/playground or playing outside. He's an only child so it is difficult I think.

If my 5yo is at home she does like to chill with tv and will ask for it by default a lot of the time but she has never asked for it out and about. That’s not something I’d be keen on tbh.

I have two that age. I make sure they have some kind of activity (swim or outside for a game of football or game of snap or connect 4 or whatever). Or go to the shops or walk. Then we do a bit of reading just for 20 mins.
Then they can get a bit of tablet time but then it's off. If they moan or are cheeky they don't get it the next day.

You are in charge. Be strict.

Yup. My 6 year old moans about going to most places. Yesterday we stayed in all day and we had to go out quickly for something at 4:30 and he asked if we could go somewhere, I said no as I had to make dinner and then started moaning that we were going home