miserable after school behaviour

[fattybum]

Bloody hell.

Ds1 first day back at school, year 2. I expect him to be tired and ratty, but I'm so fed up of this shit. Been with ds2 all dat and everything's peaceful, and as soon as i'm with ds1 again it's arguments and stroppiness.

All started because ds2, 4 on Saturday, was in the pushchair. I haven't used the pushchair all summer, but he's too tired to walk to school and back which is up a big hill. Anyway, ds1 wanted to goto in the push chair and ds2 wouldn't let him. I explained I knew he was tired but he is too big for the pushchair. he they got rough with ds2 for saying no.

None of his six year old friends are in pushchairs, why does he expect to be?

I just want him to be more pleasant. I hate that I don't know what mood he'll be in when I collect him and start to react too quickly to things cos I just can't deal with it anymore.

Help!

Take flapjack or similar to pickup, thrust into his hand as you walk across playground

Stand firm on no pushchair for ds 1; Scooter him if it's safe to ?

I agree. Take him a snack and have a think about what he's eating at lunchtime. Is he getting enough slow release carbs to keep him going?

Plan for a short amount of downtime when he gets home, perhaps a tv programme or reading a story to let him recharge his batteries. Perhaps get him to earn computer, tv, playing out time, the right to use his scooter the next day by being pleasant on the way home from school.

Could you give him things to spot on the way home each day to earn points for a prize? This might distract him from being grumpy.

I have to say though that I wouldn't expect a four year old to be in a pushchair either unless it is a very long walk to school and back. A big hill shouldn't really be a problem for a child that age. Perhaps they could both walk and have a list each of things to spot on the route?

yes, snack and poss small juice carton for quick bloodsugar boost

I agree the snack is vital. Make sure he goes to the loo before setting off home too or he will be very uncomfortable.

He is probably going through a growth spurt and will need an earlier bed time.

By half term he will have got used to it.

Snacks are an issue. If he has one at school he wants one at home too as well as dinner, that's too much isn't it? I was trying to distract him but he seemed intent on arguing!

We only use pushchair for school run. He walks there and back in the morning, but by 3pm he's too tired for a 40 minutes of walking including big hills.

It depends how healthy the snacks are. He could have a flapjack at school and then something like fruit or carrots sticks if he still wants a snack when he gets home. If he's had something healthy it doesn't matter if it replaces some of his evening meal.

I guess pushing a four year old in a pushchair that far each day must keep you very fit

It depends what time you are giving him dinner.

When mine were that age they had a cooked evening meal at about 5pm. (I used to make it the evening before then put it in the fridge to reheat the next day).

They were in bed by 7pm. Occasionally they would have a snack before bed, but would have been much too tired after a long day at school to manage a whole meal any later.

I'd say snacks - ds1 can be a handful when I pick him up, a snack helps his blood sugar but also makes his mouth full so he can't argue and keeps his hands busy we have snack at gates and they always have free access to fruit bowl all the way up to dinner.
We also do dinner at 5pm and in bed by 7pm, ds will read till 7.30pm or listen to an audio book on CD.

It's not that he won't eat his dinner after two snacks, it's that he will (he loves his food!) He usually has a snack when we get home eg yogurt and an apple, rice cakes with peanut butter etc then cooked dinner at 6.

Hmm, maybe 6 is too late.

We lived on casseroles, shepherds pie, pasta bakes, fish pie etc. All things that could be cooked in advance.

They would have been too tired to eat by 6pm.

I used to batch cook a couple of times a week. Anyway - DH didn't get home till about 8pm, so it was nice to sit down and have dinner together in peace.

if he eats healthy snacks and still eats his dinner then I'd let him have the snacks - and drink loads as might not be hungery but thirst - 6pm isn't necessarily too late, its what works for you x

After school today my 5 year old has eaten: 1 banana, 1 packet of crisps, 1 krispie bun we made, and 3 nectarines . He is a bucket.
I've been trying to get tea ready for all of us for 5, think after reading this it would be easy to give ds an early tea and eat a bit later with dh.