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Original poster

Life according to my 5 year old.

14 replies

Faytella2020 · 11/09/2023 10:06

He hardly sees me and lives with his dad - I have 70 percent custody

His dad pays for all his birthday parties- no that's me.

I never do anything with him- so swimming, martial arts, friends over, the zoo etc is nothing.

Kids are great aren't they ?

OP posts:
slowsundays · 11/09/2023 10:07

It's a thankless job sometimes OP Flowers

EthicalNonMahogany · 11/09/2023 10:08

He feels utterly safe with you and you are his home. So he can act out all the difficulties of his little life with you. Sounds like you are doing an amazing job OP 🌹

Newuser75 · 11/09/2023 10:08

My 4 year old was moaning the other day that he hadn't done anything fun at all that day. He had been to play football, been out for a themed afternoon and had a ride on a vr ride. All because he wasn't allowed to buy a beachball!

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5 year olds Behaviour & development
Original poster
Faytella2020 · 11/09/2023 10:29

Oh the joys. I'd love to know what goes on in his head

OP posts:
Original poster
Faytella2020 · 18/09/2023 11:55

We've been to 2 parties this weekend and had a friend round. He says to me this morning he prefers his dad and hasn't done anything all weekend.

OP posts:
TheWayTheLightFalls · 18/09/2023 12:02

'"What now?" - My child, sitting on a pony, eating an ice cream, going along the beach.'

hdbs17 · 18/09/2023 12:04

We took DS to the beach for fish & chips and arcades for an evening.

Wolfs down the food in 10 minutes and then asks to go home. The drive there was an hour and 20 minutes......

Cornettoninja · 18/09/2023 12:20

TheWayTheLightFalls · 18/09/2023 12:02

'"What now?" - My child, sitting on a pony, eating an ice cream, going along the beach.'

Sorry but that did make me laugh Grin

thing is, these kids have very small frames of reference. We organise things so their lives include lovely things but they have no concept of not having lovely things.

In some ways that’s a lovely reflection of how well they’re being parented and provided for, the downside is that small children are little narcissists and think that everything is their right if they’re not from backgrounds that regularly deny the security that these things are freely available.

My dd is seven now but the past few years I’ve been more inclined to expose her to some of the charity adverts that are abundant around Christmas (not the horrific animal cruelty ones or sexual abuse ones). Short and to the point along with more exposure to the news.

I think once they’re of an age their demands make you think they’re not appreciative of what they have it’s probably time to widen their exposure to the rest of the world.

AlrightThen · 18/09/2023 12:25

It may be the dad is focused on those activities because he's not tired from the child care at home. Maybe.

When I was 5, I thought life obstacles and hardships are fun and make life more interesting. They're not easy but if someone planned my life ahead for me and provided me with money for it, what would I be living for?

And I wanted a massive box of Lego.

Goldbar · 18/09/2023 12:39

Oh this resonates 😂!

Aggrieved 5yo - 'I haven't had any treats all day!"

After soft play, an ice cream, a new board game from grandparents, playing in the padding-pool in the garden, making cupcakes...

We are working on showing appreciation for others in this house 🙄. Mostly me, passive aggressively mouthing in 5yo's presence, "thank you mummy, for taking me to soft play and letting me choose an ice cream afterwards. Thank you granny, for buying me the game I wanted and then playing it with me for ages. Thank you mummy, for filling the paddling-pool and carrying buckets of hot water through so it wasn't freezing. Thank you granny, for baking with me and running out to the shop just to get smarties to decorate my cupcakes."

Then I play myself in the conversation. Sweet, sugary voice, "You're very welcome, sweetie. It's nice to be appreciated. It makes it all worthwhile."

Ylvamoon · 18/09/2023 12:47

🤣 wait until the little darling tells you that you have ruined his/ her life (like for-ever!!) when you dare to say no to any bequest.

(In my house that happens usually from the Age of 8 onwards... uni DC is still suffering the effects as fridge does no fill up automatically and ther is never coffee in the pot!)

NuffSaidSam · 18/09/2023 13:18

We have 'you're not kind to me' whenever we insist she stop licking scissors/hold hands crossing the road/not eat exclusively yoghurt/basically say no anything that she wants.

2 year old. I imagine she'll be on the phone to childline before her 5th birthday.

IHeartGeneHunt · 18/09/2023 13:23

My 5 year old was furious with me yesterday afternoon because she's never even seen a rabbit and everyone else has.

We saw rabbits yesterday morning.

APurpleSquirrel · 18/09/2023 13:37

It doesn't really get better as they get older.
DD (then 8) said to me, as we were packing for a short weekend break to Warwick Castle earlier this year, that she was tired because we'd had too many holidays! We'd done 2 previous short breaks & she'd also been on a school residential.
Then yesterday as we had to drive through lots of flood water to get home - both DC (9 & 5) declared it was the best day of their lives! 🤦🏽‍♀️

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