To be stressed to the point of screaming with my DC?

[CouthyMow]

At 3.30pm, I asked my 14yo, my 10yo and my 8yo to start sorting out their things for school tomorrow.

My 14yo has so far sorted her school bag, but not her PE kit or her clothes for the morning. That has been accompanied by much huffing, tutting and moodiness.

My 10yo has, granted, sorted out everything except his school bag, but has constantly back chatted, argued with me, questioned everything I have asked him to do, at length, been rude to me, shouted at me, and generally made steam pour from my ears. I started with him at 3.30pm as he hadc
more stuff to sort because he has sailing after school tomorrow too, as well as PE. But holy moley, has it been a struggle to get there! He has just done (except his bag, and I need a break before I harangue him on that one, or HE might just end up packed in there!!), but it has taken what is probably the hardest 2.5 hrs of my life.

My 8yo is done, apart from his swimming kit. He just couldn't find his arse with both hands, and can't even 'find' his uniform when it's hanging in his blinking wardrobe, all on the same hanger.

Anyone got to pass me?

It's not even as I'd it's unusual for me to expect them to get their own stuff ready, I teach them through the infants slowly, with the expectation that once they are in the juniors, they will be responsible for getting their own things ready, so it's not a surprise to them that they need to do this when they go back to school in the morning.

I had to get my own stuff ready for school at 5yo, you wouldn't think that a 14yo, a 10yo and an 8yo would find it do hard!!!

Rrrrrrrraaaaaaarrrggghhhhhh!!

Defenitly (oh FFS sp, tried 6 ways to spell it but am too stressed to spell!) o'clock!!!

Split heirs??

[Grin]

Had that one with DD's trainers. And for some reason, DS1 only has one plimsoll in the house. At this point, I have all but given up!

Lol,my grin didn't work.

has helped though!

Can you do them all a check list each of things they need ready for school and by the front door, maybe on a wipe clean board. They can tick off when they had done it.

I would also be letting the school know that I was encouraging my dc to have some responsibility for themselves so they are aware.

Hope you get some respite sorted Couthy, sounds like you need it and that's completely understandable.

I'm off to throw them at the bathroom in a minute, wish me luck, that's another 3 arguments brewing.

Tried explaining to the school, but they seem to think that the parents do everything for their DC until they leave home?!

The school, unfortunately, don't back you with this. Not going to stop me from trying though, I'm their mum, not their skivvy.

Do either of your 2 dcs with special needs have a teaching assistant or a senco involved? My son's TA encourages self care skills and tries to encourage his independence rather than encourage him to be too dependant. The schools should be supportive of this.

I refuse to be a skivvy too. I do enough around here without doing stuff a child is capable of!

Ooops, I've done the screaming today. Not a good feeling, or a good example, but honestly the organisational skills and eye rolling of a 10 yr old are enough to drive you to screaming... and beyond.

can you do the old trick of giving them a list each first thing in the morning and then not allowing screen time till they are done. I also have a tendency to tell mine that they can have their meal/pudding when they are all ready and not before. Hunger usually drives them

DD's SenCo is working on organisational skills, but the SenCo at the DS's primary school has always been about as much use as a chocolate teapot. And that's putting it politely.

As for the lists, they each have them. for all the good they do. DD's and DS2's also have pictures on them, as visual aids. .

Two bathed and bedded, DD running bath, DS3 unlikely to sleep much before 11pm. Though that is a very recent improvement in itself, up to about 4 days ago, he would only sleep from 1am till 5am, so 11pm till 5am feels positively excellent. again.

Oh, and DD somehow tonight has managed to tear her laminated list that I made her, so now I'm going to have to make her a new one, as the old one was on Ex-P's laptop. And the laminator was his. .

Anyone know where I can get a cheap laminator from?

DS3 is asleep!! I am astounded. All 4 DC tucked up in bed, and I'm now pouring myself a second glass of to sit down and watch the F1 highlights on BBC1.

I may regret the second glass though - I have two swimming badges to sew onto a towel tonight, thanks DS1, and I have a 4 mile (2 miles each way, same again in the afternoon) school run to walk in the morning...

Badges sewn onto towels if a little wonky, F1 watched, happy Hamilton won, worried about a friend, but will be able to give her a hug in the morning at the school.

Much less stressed now! (Though that may be too much )