Are 4 year olds just The Worst or is it only mine?

[AngryFeminist]

Seriously. Baby stage was knackering obviously but he was cute and squishy and portable; toddlerhood pissed me off a bit but there were naps; 3 was kinda cool. Nursery, cafe, playground, chill.

But now.

What hellbeast is this?!! I know lockdown has a fair bit to do with it, but he turned 4 only a couple of weeks ago and OH MY FUCK. This is what they said the 2s would be like. The constant CONSTANT noise. From ridiculously early morning wake-up to fractious night, the NOISE. Chattering. Questioning. Narrating. Demanding. 'I don't want to so thaaaat'. Screech. Repeat. Then the movement. Running. Jiggling. Climbing. Climbing my face. Roaring. Fidgeting. Knocking over of things.

I am so tired and ratty. I need space and silence. Tell me it ends someday. Please.

@AngryFeminist

I'm also a teacher. Honestly, 30 year 9s are more bothered by my 'stern' voice than DD is!

My eldest was an AWFUL 4yo. She was really pretty bad before and after but school as one of the youngest up from 12h preschool was just too much. She's very bright but the writing and behaving was too much. Then the free play afternoons with 59 other kids. Tbh i think she was nearly expelled. It got a little better in yr 1 but still a couple of incidents and similar every year.
Imo it being reception and the odd party at weekends didnt help.
Dc2 is 5 a few weeks ago and starts yr r this yr. Im hoping it will be better but not holding out much hope. Mine are both so impulsive so it doesn't really matter about punishment as they are not considering it first.
Hopefully there will be no parties this year or at least term.

Definitely more challenging since my DS turned 4. Climbs everything. Even when told the consequences if he was to fall, falls on deaf ears, or removing DS from said thing he wants to climb doesn’t often work. Falls, hurts himself, cries. Rinse repeat.

Doesn’t like sleep for some reason. The other night I think he eventually fell asleep at about 11.30ish, woke up bright as a button at 4am. It’s day time!! Time to get up now!! Erm...no. He’s been referred to a sleep clinic for this, but not sure how well it will work. Hoping it’s just an age thing and it’s only temporary

He’s honestly like the Duracell Bunny, constantly on the go. He doesn’t walk either, but runs. I actually think he goes out his way to play with noisiest toy he can find if I want to watch something on tv, which I don’t get to do often. When he’s chilled and not running about the place he’s lovely though and the things he comes out with sometimes, makes me laugh. I love him to bits, but it’s definitely hard at the moment. I don’t think lockdown has helped and he’s constantly asking when he’s going back to nursery

My boy was a dream until his 3rd birthday and then he turn into a beast overnight!

He's 4 now and it's hell. Absolute hell.

It gets easier when they head for uni!

(Actually it doesn't, you just worry about different things and you can't see them rolling their eyes at you )

I echo PP, wait til they are 6 !
Oh my, you'll be looking back on these days like they were paradise
Here with my 6 year old ds and what he hasnt told me about dinosaurs isn't worth knowing.
And despite me being totally against gun - toys , hes fashioned his own out of a cardboard tube and a hoover attachment, so I'm constantly being shot with accompanying sound effects. Roll on September

Wow, so glad the death obsession is normal! Mine has been tantrumming ALL DAY today. She pulled a face so hard at her 17 year old sister earlier, I worried her face was going to seize up and get stuck like it! Her favourite thing to do at the moment is critique everybody's outfit choices and call them dumb if she doesn't like what they're saying to her!

So after a horrendous couple of days, DD yesterday SET THE TABLE and TIDIED THE LIVING ROOM and said she wanted me to be proud of her. 😍

I’m sure it’ll be back to normal today but it was pretty amazing.

My SIL named 4 'the fucking fours', which I thought was both very true and rather funny. Mine too were fine at 'the terrible twos', which weren't terrible at all, three wasn't too bad, but dear god four was awful and NO-ONE WARNS YOU!! You think you're out of the woods when you get to four - hell no!

My four and a half year old daughter is terrifying and ferocious
If I don’t ask her to do something in “your nice princess mummy voice whilst making a heart shape with your hands” she unleashes a torrent of vitriolic displeasure involving screaming, floods of tears, pouring fingers and phrases such as “ you are abandoned ( banned) from being my mum now I am calling the police to have you put in mum jail.”

I am now Mum not mummy.
She is also disarmingly beguiling and super biddable and empathetic when needs be

One of her grandmothers told her she could hear her roaring in the garden from the top of the long street we live on. Her response was “ I’m learning how to be when I am in charge” not a hint of contrition.

She is a force of nature. God help school in September

My DD will be 4 in November. Sweet zombie Jesus I hope she's getting the Fucking Fours out of the way now because she's already a stubborn little madam and I can't think of a way she could get worse. Although I am prepared to be shown. At length most likely.

She starts nursery in September. Won't that be a delight! She's already a little ball of AAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH if she's even the slightest bit hungry or bored or tired.

God I miss the naps. Why did the naps have to go? 😭

Oh! And I forgot to mention that she's also really tall and looks much older than she is, which means I got lots of dirty looks from people who assume she is 5 or so when in fact she's only 3.

Which is super helpful. 👍🏻

Noooooo this wasn't what i wanted to hear! Mine turns 4 on Saturday, I've noticed a bit of attitude creeping in and was telling myself it's because she's tired and has a bit of a cold.......

Mine was at his worst at 3 and a half, I nearly had a breakdown on holiday with him. Now he is 4 and a half and although has endless energy he listens to us and doesn't run away continuously!

Yep 4 is hard.

Mine is 4.5 and repeats everything I say to her, runs off in supermarkets, fucks around near busy roads and wouldn't even enjoy a lovely day out at the zoo the other day.

I've lost my patience with her a few times and I seriously cant wait for her to start school in a few weeks.

I loved 4-5 actually I loved everything after the horrendous first year. But it is harder with lockdown or whatever we call this T the moment. Few activities for kids, stressing about social distancing etc all makes their natural kid behaviour far more stressful!

The worst thing I find is that mine is a mini-me that echoes my worst qualities revved up.

Oh god, this is so true. It’s like living with an evil caricature of yourself. My daughter was worst at four, but then started to settle, and at 8 is a wonderful human being. But my son, at 6, is like a miniature teenage nightmare. Does something happen to boys at 6? He is so temperamental! The slightest provocation and it’s “You never listen to me! I am never allowed any fun! This is the worst day ever!”

So glad I found this thread - been feeling like a crap mother over here! My 4 year old DD has reached the extortion stage - she'll only do something if she gets something in return. EVERYTHING is apparently negotiable according to her otherwise it's a flat out no and some bloody sassy comment back

The minute she senses weakness it's like psychological warfare - I'm 11 weeks pregnant with twins too 🤣

Mine is a master negotiator as well, but to be fair, has been since she was about two, so I can’t blame being 4 for that!

I try to think it’ll stand her well in later life