To think there is no way to get 3-5.30pm "right"?

[dolly12345]

I have a 1 year old and a 5 year old. 3-5.30pm is reliably a shit show, whatever I do. DC5 is crabby and chasing me to help with whatever they're working on. DC1 grizzles and wants to be held. DC5 has no patience for DC1 and will push DC1 out the way if provoked. I've tried so many different ways of doing things - snacks, drinks, activities, playpen for DC5 so they can play in peace, nothing makes it any less awful. Feels like we all want to cry by the time DH gets home.

AIBU to think maybe 3-5.30 is just shit with littles? Or am I missing something? Tips welcome too!!

Lots of this sort of thing out there but I've tried most of the ideas... theeverymom.com/how-to-survive-the-witching-hour-with-toddlers/

I’m in a similar position. It’s fucking dire. I think it’s a bit better outside. Park or garden. Not always possible though.

Yep! It's a thing. We called it The Witching Hour in our house.

I have a 5.5yo and I wouldn't tolerate that behavior. That is just being badly behaved as they are well old enough to get on with a few activities with supervision here and there. Are you giving them consequences for doing this?

That’s what CBeebies is for. It is a shit time but it was our tv time as it defused things a bit.

Which bit, the pushing DC1? Yes, of course. But not for being crabby, no. (Can you give a consequence for this?)

Yep.

Op, cut yourself some slack and go with the flow. You’re doing a great job and this too will pass eventually.

Do dinner at 4pm

I found a routine helped. Walk home from school, snack and drink, quiet time in room with a book or Lego to de-grump away from annoying sibling. Then a bit of playing or a cuddly story time or ‘helping’ with chores, depending on energy levels. Then some TV while you cook something basic, then tea, bath (this was often a good 30 minutes as they always seemed happier in the water), bedtime stories, bed.

Make sure 1yr has a sleep 1-3 ish so isn’t tired once you collect 5yr from school

give both a snack once home to ward off hangryness

then do reading to get it out of the way

and tbh just chill after school. They are tired so either some colouring or tv. Something low key while you make tea

Give yourself a break, it’s a horrible time when they are little, gets better when they are older. Put the TV on, do simple meals

It was much easier before DC1, of course.

I’d go to the park/organise activities/clubs for the 5 year old after school if you can afford it. I don’t think two hours of CBeebies is appropriate if possible to avoid…

I always did tea early or went to the park. Invite a few mums that have dc that play with your 5yr old and go to the park a few times a week with them. Swimming is a good reset after school but before tea too, then they're showered early as well!

I used to call this the witching hr!
I ended up paying a few pounds to a local teenager who would just sit and read/ puzzles/ Lego etc…. The extra pair of hands was invaluable and the kids really enjoyed her company. She’d even make me a cup of tea!! It really really helped, and she loved it too!

This time was called shithead O’clock in my house.

Agree with an early tea, then onto CBeebies, hardly matters if they watch an hour or so if they’ve been at school all day, they’re tired. Mine watched telly whilst eating some days.

My older two are well out of this now and one is reading on the sofa and the other is washing potatoes in the garden after eating at the table, just to give you hope.

Omg, what an absolutely genius idea!

Thanks for all the ideas so far.

Come home from school, possibly have a little play in the park or a trip to feed the ducks on the way to make the arrival home a bit later.
Aim to do tea for both children at about 4-4:30 depending on when you get home. Listen to DC 5 read for 5-10 mins afterwards so they're not too tired to comply later. Pop CBeebies on for half an hour or so whilst you clean up from the children's tea and / or prepare dinner for you and DH.
Assuming DH is home at 5:30, leave him to play with older DC whilst you bath the baby (or the other way round). Aim to have the baby in bed by 6-6:30 and older DC in bed by 7. One of you can cook the dinner (prepared earlier) whilst the other does stories with the 5 year old. Eat when both DC are in bed.

3.30-6.00 in our house is bloody awful. DD is 7 and overtired but hyper after school. DS is 3 and really grumpy in the afternoons.

Throw in some epic sibling rivalry / jealousy and it’s hell on earth.

best way of managing them is to separate them!! But it’s not always possible.

Park or garden time, early dinner, long bathtime, settle down for TV or book and quieter activities.

I found having dinner in the slow cooker, just heating up left overs or prepreparing a salad and quiche type dinner essential to avoid fuss.

Ahh the witching hour I remember it well and mine are now 30,35 and 39! We walked home slowly from school whatever the weather, watched tv or a video, tea at 430/5 and long bath time! Milk, stories and bed. Similar with my grandchildren but I appreciate it doesn’t work like that if you are at work and they are at childcare. I bet childminders have the tv on at time!

Worst time of the day, especially on a Friday. I have three kids (7, 5 and 2) and between 3 and 6pm it's bloody horrendous. They are either up to some scheme or other that involves making a huge mess, or fighting between themselves. If all else fails I deploy the tablets (screen kind, not medication kind... although some days I wouldn't be averse to the latter).

I'd like to say it gets better but it hasn't for me!

Yes, slowest walk home from school ever. We can drag a ten minute walk out for half an hour at least but we do have a particularly good walk, through a community woodland thingy.

Cbeebies!