Cant stand spending time with my 5 yr old son - is this normal ?

[bacon]

I dread the weekends, the thought of DS1 home all day for 2 whole days driving me mad, and the thought of half term time...arhhhh!

What a wonderful baby, perfect toddler, extremely healthy, strong, big and full of energy but not his mood swings, stropping, crying, sarcasim, evil child!!!!!

I really want to escape from being mum. Weekends hubby usually works or is out, I'm stuck on the feeding wheel and desperatly trying to be the perfect SAHM.

Yes, you can go out but also have 18m son so a pushchair is always involved.

Do they come out of this stage and at what age.

Is it normal to want to leave? I'm not enjoying this age at all.

Tis normal. Just started school. All the mums said 'wehre has my lovely little boy gone' ? to be replaced by whingeing, whining nasty brat.
Turns out that my son now has suspected ODD, but to be honest most of his freinds fit the bill too. Its only thta he behaviour is constant and neever respites, and that no punishment or reward makes any difference, thats the only thing thta makes him different to most of the boys.
It gets a bit better in Year 1. Better in Year 2, so the other mums tell me.

You need help and support. Book him into some classes, foot ball or swimming. Get rid of him for a bit, just to give you a respite.

I'd second the suggestion about football, classes, clubs and swimming. Keep him busy.

Oh well at least its not just me - forget the horrible 2s this is 100 times worse!

Yes he's doing swimming but thats only half hour and then he has a right turn in the back of the car on way home - many a time I've slammed the brakes on and told him to get out (shook him up - did the trick) but by the time get home I'm a wreck and want to bury him in the garden.

Are there any clubs that would take him 8am - 8pm??? (joking!)

Nope. Not normal.

No - not normal at all. .

Believe me, if that is the way you feel about your 5 year old, he will know it, and he must be feeling terrible.

5 year old boys are lovely. So full of life, energy, enthusiasm.

Ds went through a very challenging phase when he was about 6 and a half.
He then had just started his first yr at school (we are in Italy now, different system) after years in the UK and he was struggling to adapt to a very busy and long day at school, with children he didn't know, trying to fit in etc.

So, I tried to be as empathetic as possible. Of course we were firm, but we also tried to spend time with him discussing his feelings etc.

I agree that they also need lots of physical activities after having spent hrs at school, but my advise is to try and see if he has some anxieties re school and wants to talk about them.

It is normal. I feel like this sometimes. If you are doing the vast bulk of the childcare it is normal to feel you need a break, which is what I think. Can you get somebody to take over for a bit so you can get a break?

Also your DS is probably adjusting to starting school and having a fairly new sibling, he can't communicate verbally how he feels so he is ' acting out' his feelings. Try giving him some one to one time and have a chat about how he is feeling.

And btw, when he went through that stage, I didn't really like him to be honest, I wanted my easy going (but lively!) ds back.

But, I can assure you that spending more time with him, showing him empathy and just "be there" created another, stronger bond between us.

And I also agree with Tipsy re childcare. It is quite normal to want to run away when looking after 2 dc the whole time!

Perhaps he dreads weekends too?

DH worked away every other weekend when my boys were small. It is hard, but the only thing to do with little boys is to take them out. It really helps if you plan structured activities - at 5 he would probably enjoy just going out for walks, collecting autumn leaves, making collages, leaf rubbings, any kind of art/craft work, local park/playground, etc.

Invite a friend to play - hopefully your ds will get invited back.

I used to take mine out all morning, then do "sitting down" stuff with DS1 while ds2 was having a nap.

I am so that you are feeling this way.

I'm a mum of 2 boys, now 9 and 7. I've found that boys behaviour is always better if you make sure they're well fed and exercised - bit like a big dog. if they're too tired they'll be good! When they start school, it's mostly contained in a classroom, so they have alot of unused energy. My advice would be to arrange more physical activities, like swimming, football, gymnastics or walking. Good luck.

I wouldn't say normal but maybe understandable perhaps. Motherhood is tiring at the best of times and with a challanging child sometimes when tired we can over react to situations. I was in a similar situation with my 5 year old when she started school, the littlest thing use to throw her into a right strop and after she had gone to bed I use to be in tears because after not seeing her at school all day I was upset that we were not enjoying our time together. She has always been stubborn and argumentive though but now she is in y1 the tantrums are far a few between and we have some lovely times. I guess you have to put yourself in there shoes......tired, mixing with people you dont know, missing home etc its no wonder they get fed up and anxious really.

Gonna buck teh trend a little.
Yep, boys need exercise etc, but they also need chill time, after a busy week my 4.6 yr old DS is knackered and if first day of teh weekend is also busy he is vile, grumpy, disobedient, shouty, hangs about DH or I demanding attention etc.

BUT if I make the first rest day quietish he will get on an play in his room ( some of the time) pretend stuff with cars/ lego, help with cooking and vacuming and generally be a nice child to be with. Then we can do something more demanding on the second day of the weekend.

Could OPs boy be over tired by end of school week?

Reception does things to children
I'm a childminder and for just over a year I was looking after a child after pre-school and she was always easy to care for and polite.

Since starting school full time she has gone to being very stroppy, rude and everything else.
She is still only 4yrs old.