to have cancelled Christmas?

[GoldQuintessenceAndMyrrh]

Christmas is for the kids right? It is something we do to make it magical, to give our children happy memories, of family, presents, good food, nice atmosphere, isnt it?

Well, I have cancelled it. Tomorrow I will take the kids presents back to the shop. I have thrown the Christmas tree out into the garden, and I am not going to clean, or make anything nice. We are not going to eat what I have baked, and forget cooking.

My kids dont deserve it. They are little horrors, and maybe, as I have threatened if they continue their apalling behaviour, their spitting and their hair pulling, their fighting and their winding up, there will be no presents.

Well guess what, there wont be. Christmas is off, as I am going to follow through with my threat.

I have been "Nice Mummy" for too long.
Now, watch me go into "bad mummy mode".

It.Is.War.

Happy Christmas OP and everyone else... (if it's any consolation I had a good cry today feeling overwhelmed with it all but you have to keep going, don't you?).

Also, Paul O'Grady on the radio said the other day, "Christmas won't stop just because you haven't got that jar of horseradish in the fridge" and he's right. It doesn't have to be perfect and we should all cut ourselves some slack...

Deep breaths and calmly and gently onwards...

QS,the bickering does wear you down, believe me I know. Well done in reinstating Christmas .

Guys, this was a really nice day.
Much thanks to you lot.

We got the house clean and spotless, and decorated. I managed to wrap the last few presents while the kids played in their rooms.We had a spot of lunch, went to the shop so I could get a few grocery items, went to my parents for "little christmas eve rice porridge". We decorated my parents christmas tree, and decorated their house.

We went home, to a - now get this: An Arctic Christmas BBQ! (in 12 degrees below zero) A street party with all the neighbours and the kids. We all ate hot dogs, we had mulled wine, flasks with coffee and whiskey, just coffee. We all wore thermals, and the kids were playing on their skis, their snowsledges, and had such fun.

A perfect end to a good day.

Tomorrow we are going to my parents to celebrate christmas, have the big christmas dinner, go to the cemetary and light candles on the graves of loved ones, and then unwrap the presents.

Merry Christmas!

So glad you had a better day. Street party sounds lovely. Enjoy your Christmas. x

Have a good one QS.

Oh good for you Quint! I'm so glad AIBU really helped you mull things over in this case without getting nasty (I hope!).

I really notice on how this, some other threads and in RL a LOT of people's little boys are being just right royal PITAs at the moment. It's winter, it's harder to get them out and about and exercised, they're overwrought and overexcited and their parents are stressed. Look at trying some of the reward etc. methods suggested when christmas has blown over but please don't think you're doing badly - you're not. Really glad you've had such a nice day too.

Quint, you've done so well. I'm really pleased for you.

YAB a bit U.

Up to you whether you cancel Christmas, although think might be better to have Christmas but no big presents just say FC didn't bring any as they are too badly behaved.

Sorry and I might get shouted down for saying this, but if your 4 YO and 7 YO are out of control its probably partially down to you. If their behaviour is really always that bad then you need to along side your DH/DP to take steps to be consistent and be very very firm with them. Buy all the childcare books etc and follow through the advice. FC can always bring presents later in the year if their behaviour improves.

oh really pleased things are better - happy xmas - your day sounds like it was magical x

What a great day, Quint! I'm so glad things worked out.

If it makes you feel any better my three year old boy has been just plain odd the last week or so. He doesn't really seem to get whats going on with Christmas and we have had a hard year in other ways, illness, disruption, new baby, blah blah and i think he has picked up on all of the stress and upsets.

My older daughter and baby have been models of perfect behavior but my son has been like a whirlwind of destruction and embarrassing behaviour to the point that my (very very strange) BIL threatened to leave and go to his mums!.

It is the time of year it makes them crazy and if you other any other problems on top of that the best you can do is put them to bed early and just try and get through it.