Does anyone else get emotionally exhausted with their dc?

[orangeandemons]

I have just had it with dd 7 today.

Friend came round, took them to a park, dd decided to get mardy for no reason at all. friend got upset and asked to go home. Texted her dad who came to collect her. Dd goes into public meltdown in park. I walk out.

When we get home, screaming shouting, angry. Sent her to her room. More screaming shouting. Eventually calmed down. Tried to talk it through, I ended up crying , she was crying. She wanted me to calm her down, I was too emotionally exhausted. Very clingy after this, but just didn't have it to give.

Go to pub for tea. Whining on and on and on about having a fecking sticky toffee pudding. Would NOT shut up for about 15 mins. Left pub. More crying. Then more clingy ness.

Goes to bed, won't go to sleep. Sits on stairs. Dh saying ignore her, but am so on edge after the battles of today. I am worn out with her today, and just want to run away.

I have similar with dd aged 5. I am beaten up regularly, hair pulled etc etc. it always pushes me over the edge but is ALWAYS and I mean always tiredness. Always.
The answer for us is to have a few quiet days, cancel parties/ play dates/ swimming or whatever. It's v hard sometimes but I have to remember that 'doing more stuff' doesn't necessarily equal a happy childhood. Sometimes digging in the garden in your Wellies is just as much fun.

Yes. They do not stop asking / whinging / fighting all day long. I was very shouty today .

I'm glad it's not just me / my dc!
Problem is, if we stay at home they get bored and start whacking each other. If we go out, they get more and more tired. I can't win!

I'm glad it's not just me / my dc!
Problem is, if we stay at home they get bored and start whacking each other. If we go out, they get more and more tired. I can't win!

That sounds really stressful. Is it a bad day or does it happen a lot? I certainly do get worked up by my dd, and feel like I need time out. Its so hard that they know when you are stressed and that stresses them out more.
My advice would be, take the evening off (get your husband to deal with the non sleep situation in which ever way he sees fit, if possible). Go to bed. Tommorrow will be another day (apologies that that sounds like a cheesy line from a musical). Give love and hugs to DD tommorrow, praise any tiny thing that she does well. Establish with her calmly what the consequences will be for specific behaviours you don't want to see, and then all you need to do when she misbehaves is make sure the consequence happens (don't get into arguments, ignore screaming etc). And maybe also establish rewards for doing things nicely that you want to see more of.
If possible try and cry where she can't see - I'm often to be found snivelling in the loo.
And hey - school term is surely not that far away now

yes, yesterday was a bad day. Thanks for all your posts. Fingers crossed for a better day today