Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Boisterous play in 8 and 10yo boys...

8 replies

MegBusset · 30/11/2017 19:12

...is driving me up the wall!

They are clever, adorable boys, impeccably behaved at school, and thick as thieves (have their own bedrooms but give each other zero personal space), but lately the only way they seem to play together at home is in a very physical, rough and tumble where they just grab and shriek at each other, run up and down stairs, etc. It's mostly good natured (lots of giggling from both) but SO LOUD and someone inevitably gets hurt!

It's worst after school - they have activities some days (karate, Cubs, drama) which channels some of it but not all. In summer I kick them out into the garden to bounce it off on the trampoline but obviously that's not possible in winter.

Today I properly lost my rag at them after yet another brother-inflicted injury and they have calmed down but experience tells me it's only temporary!

Is there anything I can do to make the house calmer, as repeatedly telling them off seems to make no long-term difference? Should I just move all the breakables and leave them to it while I hide in the kitchen? Will they ever grow out of it??

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MegBusset · 30/11/2017 21:56

Bump!

OP posts:
uhoh2016 · 01/12/2017 09:10

I think it's just natural sibling behaviour I also have a 10 and 7yo so I know exactly what your going through. I'm sick of the sound of my own voice sometimes as like you say any peace is usually short lived. No other words of advice I'm afraid

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 01/12/2017 12:20

I have to say that unfortunately, not much works for me either. My DD's are 9 and 13 and because they're tall, they can be quite alarming when they play rough which is daily.

I just shut the door now. I've tried everything. Someone always gets kicked in the head or has their hand trapped in a door...

sozmix · 01/12/2017 13:12

Oh my goodness me my 2 and 4 year old do this and I was hoping it was just a phase Shock

MegBusset · 01/12/2017 14:14

So they'll be doing it when they're teenagers? Shock

Definitely going to stock up on Wine and lock myself in the kitchen!!

OP posts:
uhoh2016 · 01/12/2017 19:21

I live by the rule- unless there's blood don't get involved

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 01/12/2017 22:31

Meg...oh yes and more often too! The "best" was when they had two of their mates round....also aged 13 and 9 and siblings....and they staged a full scale "war" around the outside of the house. We had a black eye and a broken toe to deal with.

We live in Australia and I think my kids here are even more physically "demonstrative" than they were in the UK as there seems to be a culture of "Ah they're fine! Leave them to it" here....so I did!

corythatwas · 04/12/2017 09:59

Why can't you throw them out into the garden for active play in winter as long as they're suitably dressed? If the trampoline can't take the weather, could you find something else for them to do? Or at least take them to the park after school to let them kick a ball around?

This staying indoors for half the year that is getting increasingly common in the UK really isn't healthy for anyone.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page