Desperate for any advice re bad behaviour

[girlmum6]

Hi all, I’m sorry for a no doubt common thread but I’m feeling very stressed and on edge this morning and would really welcome any advice. My three and five year olds are behaving so badly at the moment. A lot of bickering, whinging, tormenting each other, demanding things (often forgetting their pleases and thank you’s), refusing to get dressed, changing their minds constantly, and my three year old crying about everything and anything. They have a lot of love, attention, a nice life, boundaries and I’m just not sure where we are going wrong but I am worried and stressed. I’m also pregnant and questioning if we’ve done the wrong thing given we seem to recently be struggling with our current two. I wondered if it could be tiredness but they are sleeping pretty well. We visited a friend at the weekend whose children also seemed so calm and well behaved and it just made me feel even more of a failure. I would really welcome any advice anyone has as I’m on my knees and adore them but am already dreading pick up from holiday club later. Thank you in advance.

Sounds like my two elder sisters, then they had me to distract them when I came along. I'm afraid I have 8 years between mine, so the bickering and not getting on started when the youngest was about 10.
It really can be tough, parenthood, sometimes. Which generally means you're doing it right. There will always be friends who seem to have everything under control, annoying as it is. Try to keep as calm as you can when you're telling off or making them be polite, that's difficult though, I haven't always managed it. Is there a TV programme, food or game they both like? You could try and get them focussed on that and get them to tell each other what they like most about it. Hopefully the common ground would calm them down with each other a bit.

Thanks so much @deadpanfor taking time to reply with some good suggestions. Good to know it’s quite normal.