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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if anyone else's kids behaviour has deteriorated this week?

87 replies

ilovepenguins79 · 14/12/2019 17:29

I have 2 DC age 5 and 3.

We have done the nativity plays for both and we are all getting excited for Christmas but their behaviour especially this weekend is unbelievable. I have been called ugly by my DC5, smacked in the face by my DC3, had screaming in the supermarket, bad manners "I WANT that for christmas!'.

I have started a star chart but they don't care and will go and take off a star if they are about to be naughty. Nothing distracts them, you turn your back and they are pulling our house apart. We do activities with them and 2 mins later 'I am bored!' 'I am hungry!' literally as we are washing up. I took them to the park this morning to get the ants out their pants and they were deliberately trying to run out in the road ...so they went straight home.

DH and I are at the end of our tether this evening. Any tips or reassurance that its not just ours please! Is this a pre christmas thing that I haven't noticed yet?

OP posts:
thecatsabsentcojones · 14/12/2019 19:08

Yep my 5yo daughter is a pain in the arse, just as well the threat of Santa watching is so beautifully effective at this time of year.

RogueV · 14/12/2019 19:09

My 4 year old is a bit like this right now. But he started reception in September and is absolutely exhausted.

StrongerThanIThought76 · 14/12/2019 19:23

I work in a school. Overtired, excitable and dodging winter germs left right and centre. They're knackered, we're knackered, parents are knackered. Roll on next Friday when we can all take a breath and unwind!

FuzzyPenguin · 14/12/2019 19:25

Yep my DS5 has turned into an argumentative nightmare, followed by clingy needy monster. The teachers have told us because of the long term and lack of routine, but he wasn’t this bad last year!

StoutDrinker2019 · 14/12/2019 19:26

Yep, everyone is fing knackered including the children. Roll on next week!

Crunchymum · 14/12/2019 19:27

Mine (7 and almost 5) are very fractious. Although we had an early half term so next week marks week 8 of this half term Shock

Its mainly low level stuff (bickering, squabbling, not listening) but as I have a grumpy toddler too, it's quite full on.

berryhead2013 · 14/12/2019 19:36

There was a full moon this week sets everyone off on the mental 🤪

LightsInOtherPeoplesHouses · 14/12/2019 19:37

DS had a tantrum last week that would have done a two year old proud. He's 6. He kicked me in the shin as well.

He seems to be calming down again.

siring1 · 14/12/2019 19:38

Christmas has become one long session of kids having too much!

I mean in general.not you OP.

The more kids get the more they want. This has been building for a few generations and I think it's got to the point many families with good parents are driven to distraction by kids just wanting more and more.

Shoutymomma · 14/12/2019 21:26

Offer to volunteer in a primary school next week. They (and we) are all knackered and they are already wired for Xmas. Your kids will look like angels then.

Original poster
ilovepenguins79 · 14/12/2019 22:35

Santa doesn't even work now! Luckily they have both crashed out this evening so I have had chance for a bit of a break. I think i remember being told off a lot around christmas time so it must be a thing!!!

OP posts:
ZombieNut · 15/12/2019 01:09

We call it Christmas Fever. It happened every year when my 3 were little. It particularly affected my middle child as his birthday is two days after Christmas. This meant he waited a full year then two special days arrived at once! He couldn't cope with the anticipation. He's not much better now tbh and he is mid-twenties!! They calmed down once they had new gifts to play with though.

Mypathtriedtokillme · 15/12/2019 04:38

My oldest (5) is almost vibrating with excitement that has been multiplied by it not only being Christmas but also end of school year and summer holidays.
Plus it’s been too Smokey from bushfires to have any play breaks outside at school, go to the park or play in the backyard.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 15/12/2019 04:48

I taught in a primary school until this summer and December was always a difficult month for little ones because all routine tends to go out of the window, there's a huge build-up of excitement and because the weather's less friendly they're indoors more so can get pent-up.

Have to say (without wanting to sound patronising) that I love that you took them home when they started dicking about in the road. A young boy not far from here was killed a couple of weeks ago playing in the road and it puts the fear into me when I see parents not enforcing road sense into them.

Hopefully once Christmas Day has been and one things will settle again.

myself2020 · 15/12/2019 06:42

we have a severe case of end-of-termitis here.... not helped by tonsillitis on top

WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl · 15/12/2019 06:47

7 and 4 here. Normal behaviour for this time of year. They're shattered from school, miserable from the lack of sunshine and dark nights, overwhelmed by all the Christmas hype. We've been trying to keep it to a minimum at home but school have so much stuff going on along with all the club's Christmas activities as well it's insane. And there's still a week of term to go here. I'm braced for some epic tantrums and tears this week.

Welshponyslave · 15/12/2019 06:48

My 5 year old is either high as a kite and talking non stop or sobbing/shouting and getting very angry with his older brother. He is in reception and I think all the Christmas activities have made him both excited and exhausted. Roll on the big day!

HeronLanyon · 15/12/2019 06:50

If it’s any comfort I think a lot of adults have been behaving poorly this week ! Grin

Mrscog · 15/12/2019 07:03

My DC were awful for the whole of December last year - they were 3 and 6.

This year I just went nuclear from 30th November - literally any disobedience, violence or rudeness is met with a 24 hour screen ban. No warnings 2nd chances or anything.

It has worked a treat!

Zebramumma · 15/12/2019 07:08

Oh my gosh totally. The attitude I’m getting from my usually lovely 4 year old is incredible.

Christmas plus a full moon is clearly playing havoc! (I’m a MH nurse & most definitely believe in the full moon sending people a bit Confused ) throw in a 2 year old with chicken pox and I’m just about at the end of my tether Xmas Sad

madcatladyforever · 15/12/2019 07:08

The cat's been badly behaved too. Devilment.

Fantail · 15/12/2019 07:13

We’re in NZ and not only is it Christmas, it’s also the end of the school year. So we’ve had ballet show, class picnics, end of year Mass. It’s been an exercise on me making sure DD8 has enough sleep and is eating well in order to eek her out to the end of the year without a complete meltdown at any point.

Last day of school tomorrow and then no school until 4 February!

Bluewavescrashing · 15/12/2019 07:15

My 9 and 6 yo have been little 💩s this week. This term is far too long, they don't finish until 20th. Christmas activities start mid November at school so they are completely wound up. Nativity preparation in full swing. Viruses knocking us all back. 9yo had her birthday last week which 6yo couldn't really deal with as he wanted her presents 🙄

Yesterday I was very firm. Any rudeness or fighting resulted in a screen ban. In the end they were pottering around the house playing nicely on the whole. Mine just need to be told no sometimes.

We have also scaled back on Christmas outings this year. We did One Big Thing a couple of weeks ago which was lovely. There are loads of birthday parties this time of year for their friends and apart from that they need to be in the park with DH burning off energy, or at home pottering and recharging.

HeronLanyon · 15/12/2019 07:17

fantail I have never known (or needed to know) that school year runs feb-Dec in Nz (I guess Aus too?). Makes sense and is kind of obvious but we’re so enmeshed in sept - July here that was a bit mind-blowing plus fact I’d never known.

HeronLanyon · 15/12/2019 07:19

(All those years of watching neighbours - assuming Aus is the same - and I never cottoned on!)