What do your children do when they get home from school (6 yr old)

[Jemster]

I have ds 6 and dd 2. I am finding the hours between end of school and bedtime really difficult.
My ds keeps saying what can I do now whilst rolling around the floor in a blanket! He had a trampoline in garden, a football goal, tent etc but is not interested in any of it. He says he doesn't like going in the garden!
Dd is full on and demands things constantly. She too seems bored of all these toys very quickly. Shd won't even occupy herself long enough for me to make their tea.

Where am I going wrong? Is it right that I should be playing with them all of the time?

Please tell me what you do with your dc after school.

They go to a club I work in but when they are not there 6 year old dd goes to the park and plays with her friends and 2 year old dd just potters around really. Then the whole book, bed thing and thats about it

Thanks melissa, why won't my 2 year old just potter? She just won't do anything alone for a second!

I take them to the park on the way home from school and then they have snack and guilt free television for an hour.

Sometimes they get embroiled in a game of their own design so I wait for them to ask for something to watch rather than automatic switch on - but I'm not rigid about it.

My eldest wasnt a potter type of child she likes people. Shes annoying with out people but I either schedule it to be doing stuff or send her out. She doesnt really care for stuff shes just social. Youngest is just more of the quiet type.

2 year olds are hard though!

I found treating them like dogs helped my sanity, frequently feed and water, vigorous exercise and no climbing on furniture or people.

I did stop at de-clawing but the worming......

My 6 yo does tennis once a week and gym club once a week so the three nights at home with nothing on are a novelty so he tends to play Lego, trampoline, draw, read or fight with his 4yo brother. I tend to let them get on with it as they are quite self sufficient.

2.5yo dd potters about or whines at my feet depending how tired she is!

They also have 30-45 mins of telly while I make dinner.

I totally sympathise OP. My DS is also 6 and if I here "I'm bored. What shall I do?" one more time, I swear I shall spontaneously combust!
When he's not being bored and bothering me he likes to play schools, this involves taking the register and telling off large groups of imaginary children! He likes to write and draw, to watch TV, go on the iPad, play with his train set, read a book, build lego. He also has a thing he got for his birthday that involves building basic electrical circuits which he LOVES, I am amazed how long this keeps him occupied.
If he has been good at school we sometimes go to the park for an hour or go on a bike ride to help pass the time before tea.
He does quite well though as he has no siblings to keep him amused and no garden either! (Poor deprived child!)

Oh my word hear not here

Take them out until 5pm ish so park/ walk/ swim/ scoot/ play outside in general. Then home and 5-7pm homework, play board game, toys, read etc then eat

Yes 6 yr old has heaps of toys too but just not interested in them. Perhaps I should just take them to park every day.

I let them watch a bit of tv and have drink and snack (I have a 6yo dd and 2yo twin dds). I find all of them play better if I set something up. Eg, if I say “do you want me to get the farm/trains/animal hospital out?" The reply is usually no or just a grunt from dd1 but if she arrives home and one of them is set out on the living room floor she just sits and plays with it. We also have play dates occasionally too.

So what do I do with a 2 year old who won't potter and who actually won't let me have a single moment to myself? To be honest it's wearing me down. I am so behind on housework & all that stuff. As soon as she goes to bed I just collapse and am alseep not long after! Why do I find this so hard and everyone else seems so organised and in control?

Get them to do housework

If a child is bored but has plenty available to entertain themselves, then a stint of sweeping/dusting/hoovering/car washing/window cleaning should help!

Even the two year old could help with tidying etc

I have a needy 5 year old and a full on 2 year old so sympathise!
They usually have a snack and sometimes watch tv but usually it's one big whiney stress fest with the 5yo wanting help with crafts or fiddly games, the 2yo destroying things and me trying to cook dinner whilst fending them off.

I do sometimes put the tv on but this feels like a bit of a cop out.

If possible I let them play outside-unfortunately it seems to be the messiest or wettest activities that keeps th busiest so that gives me more stress when trying to tidy up.

Things like duplo, the train set, tent and tunnel or dolls and prams can occasionally last 20 minutes before descending into chaos.

Once a week after work I pick the 5yo up from after school club as early as possible and leave the 2yo in nursery for another hour or so and we have some 'quality' time together doing craft or reading-it's lovely.

I have fond memories of older dc 'helping' with the dinner etc from about 3 so hopefully I can get the 2yo engaged in that soon.

It can't be this bad forever surely?!

This may not be helpful.... but can you make tea into a super simple meal that takes 3 seconds to throw together? Sandwiches with crudities and fruit? And they can help make?

TV time is completely fine btw.

playdates? my dd is younger but at least once a week we have a friend over to play and she'll go to a friend's to play once week or so. They kind of go off and play together without my input most of the time, sometimes they need more supervision. You might get them to entertain your 2yo for a bit too.