Easter holiday blues and an obnoxious 5 year old (how many hours until school?)

[SocietyClowns]

Got to the stage with my nearly 5 year old dd1 today that I thought if dh and I ever divorced he'd be welcome to have custody of her while I keep her sister... Is it normal to feel so infuriated by a small child? She is counting the days until school starts on Monday, I am now counting the hours... She is bright, funny, creative, loving, wonderful company - but can drive me absolutely insane. I fear for the future because if I clash with her so badly at 4, what is she going to be like at 14?

luckily ours went back to school this week!

Lucky you... Schools around here are all back on Monday or even Tuesday due to inset days.

Society - I hear you! I am having a really trying time with 4 3/4 ds, he is a lovely child but being really difficult a very small (but concentrated) part of the time, especially at bedtime. Ever since the holidays began he has played up nearly every night, he suddenly flips when it is time to go to bed and keeps coming downstairs/backchatting etc. This is despite always having a bedtime routine, having active and quiet days in the holdiays etc. I know this is due to Reception being a pretty intense year/being tired/testosterone etc etc but I don't think I am coping with it very well, please tell me this is normal as we regularly have tears before bedtime, and not just his!

bump

muchovine bedtime is also an issue here and I find it very hard to keep calm because dd1's constant whining and protests keep dd2 (aged 2) awake. So I have two children howling...
I do wonder whether there is some sort of developmental spurt between 4 and 5 which is reinforced by starting school? dd1 suddenly thinks she knows everything, refuses to listen to anything I say, has started fibbing to me even if caught red-handed doing something I had told her not to do... etc etc

I know that boys are meant to have a surge of testosterone at this age, I am sure girls must go through the same sort of things as well. My ds can be like Jeyll and Hyde in a split second and this will be the fourth night I have done bedtime in a row as dh working! I guess they have to be so regimented at school that they have to have an outlet somewhere for their pent up frustrations/energy. It is nice to know that although the behaviour is not nice, it seems to be normal!

I think her behaviour is pretty normal for her age but I was worried a bit about my reaction to it...

The trouble is, they do it to get attention, whether good or bad. I tried to be calm tonight and in about 5 minutes I was at the end of my tether so ds won as he got a reaction for over an hour until I finally got him to sleep! I feel drained...hope your weekend gets better society!

And yours