To think 4pm is the new witching hour?

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

At home for the summer with two kids and a puppy. For some reason as soon as 4pm hits I could quite cheerfully murder the three of them - they become whiny irritating gits and even though I know DH will be home by half five I can see the clock tick every single second as it goes by....

Mine are older now but I've had a flashback to those times and it was definitely bloody awful! How I used to long for bedtime.

Really miss those days (not) this was always the most stressful time of my day and looking back Ive come to realise it was always my youngest who was hangry not tired as I had thought at the time. She’s still the same and she’s 23

Agree JayeAshe, as the saying goes the sun is over the yardarm somewhere in the world

Seriously OP, my two would get home from school around 3.45/4pm and from then until tea time around 5.30pm life was hellish. I still hate that time now (and they are 16 and 19) because I went through so many years of it.

I give dinner at 4pm for this very reason (and then porridge at 6ish)

Healthy snacks at 3:30

My house is like that. 3.30pm everyone can be sitting about doing a craft activities and talking about the joys of life like something from a perfect parenting program then 4pm chimes and by 10 past 4 and the dog is covered in slime, someone's upended the sofa, there's a draw hanging off in the kitchen and I'm screaming like a fishwife.

Everyone seems to have great suggestions about walks/healthy snacks etc.
Is it only me who is thinking 'stick the telly on'?!

Honestly, my advice is this- prep dinner in advance so you don't have to do anything during this hellish part of the day. At 4pm, tea for you, milk for kids, biscuits for everyone. (Wine for you if it's Friday*. Small glass. Fuck it.) Telly on with something funny that you can stand to watch as well. Penguins of Madagascar was a favourite when mine were younger. No Peppa sodding Pig.
Put feet up. When DH comes in, point him towards slow cooker to dish out dinner. (He can refill your glass if it's Friday*!) Parenting nailed. You'll be re-energised for bath and bedtime story and can resume super-mumming tomorrow.

*I'm only saying Friday because that's the only day I have wine. You might choose a different day. Don't do it every day, it's a bad habit!