4 year olds behaviour!

[dingledangle]

Have just returned from an outing with PIL and my children (DD 4 and Ds 13 months). DD a nightmare, grumpy, moaning, acting up generally!

Does anyone else find their kids do this when other people are around?

This is the first time I have seen PIL for over a year and my DC too. I suspect this is the reason why. My DD is usually really well behaved but at one point I was thinking lets just go home now!!!

She is never like this with my parents as we see them regularly.

PIL, especially MIL always look down on such behaviour which seems to make it worse!

Advice and others experiences please. (perhaps some sympathy too!!!)

You are giving attention to PIL (away from her). You are on edge because you want them to behave well and she picks up on it (and does the opposite).
Very common I would say.

Thanks piscesmoon.

My DD is no angel but I was disappointed that they would think she is always like this (I can hear their comments!). I am sure she has picked up on my anxieties about them.

To be honest I thought, come on lets just go home as this is TOO hard....

Mine were the same! You are relaxed with your own parents and she is used to them. I don't have the answer-unfortunately.

Mine are always worse when out of routine, seeing relatives, getting too many treats etc. They are normally ok with doing some boring stuff like supermarkets, but when they've been doing loads of exciting things they whine and complain if they have to do anything "normal".

I think it's normal.

Today dh took them to the cinema and McDonalds and they all came back with faces like fizz. Why bother, eh?

Well I did wonder what the point was when my DD was whining and moaning about the walk when we were going to get an icecream. Not for my benefit I might add!