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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

My children are ruining Christmas!

96 replies

Munted · 23/12/2016 08:22

I have 2 DS's, aged 7 and nearly 4 and BY GOD they are slowly but surely killing my festive buzz.

Constant fighting, bickering, throwing things, charging around, winding each other up, screeching, singing stupid songs, whining....

I know they're over excited about Christmas and missing the structure of school (7 year old broke up 10 days ago) but I'm so tired of telling them off, trying to to get them to calm down, refereeing etc.I have a cold and am feeling exhausted after organising everything for Christmas and my DH is in a permanent grump because he feels the same but has a far lower tolerance than me for poor behavior, so I'm trying to keep him calm too.

Aaaggghhhhhhhh! I swear I loved Christmas before I had children

OP posts:

mummydawn07 · 23/12/2016 09:49

i feel your pain I have 2 dds aged 4 and 6 and it's pretty much the same thing in my house, but they just are choosing not to listen!! I might as well be talking to the wall, I told them Christmas was going to be cancelled if they didn't stop their behaviour and even started to slowly take the decorations off of the tree.. sounds harsh but it did the job and they have been relatively well behaved since, I told them that they were on their final warning and next time the tree would be coming down and there would be no presents for father Christmas and I've had promises of good behaviour and my DH is the same low tolerance for it

DubiousCredentials · 23/12/2016 09:49

Same here but now my youngest is 8 I can take them to the swimming pool and not have to get in with them. This is amazing. They are both very good swimmers and enjoy it so they swim and mess about happily for a few hours and I get to sit at the side or in the cafe (overlooking obv) with my phone/book/coffee and just admire them occasionally. We've been three times since they broke up

ChristmasTreeCat · 23/12/2016 09:50

Ha Hellooo yes - carefully selected craft! We made pompoms (snowballs) then had a 'snowball fight', sticking different cardboard boxes and yoghurt pots etc together to make 'inventions' etc. Strictly no glitter. I appreciate that my dc enjoy craft and will sit and make for ages and that this is not the case with all!

ChristmasTreeCat · 23/12/2016 09:52

Also, I'm not claiming to be supermum, they are currently not fighting as they have a tablet each watching cartoons/playing apps - one in my bedroom the other in their's! Anything for a quiet life at this stage

LiveLifeWithPassion · 23/12/2016 09:52

If they respond well to routine then give them a routine.
After breakfast, you could do stuff at the table (mine do homework for a bit or drawing if we're not going out for the day), then give them a runaround by taking them out or the garden.
Then they might be a bit calmer later. Maybe or maybe not.

MissBattleaxe · 23/12/2016 09:55

Reading this is like therapy. I thought I was alone!

Moonraker37 · 23/12/2016 09:55

Bickering not nicking

Wordsaremything · 23/12/2016 09:55

This makes me so happy to be child-free!

smellyboot · 23/12/2016 09:56

Get out of the house. park, walk, cycle, swim, museum, ride a bus, anything to get them out. Mine went to a friends house in the morning yesterday and then we swopped. Other DC diffuse the situation. Safety in numbers.
Invite other kids round and they can all play together instead.
Works a treat.
Never entertain two siblings cooped up at home alone for more than an hour or two. They are probably bored and excited at the same time.

dingdongthewitchishere · 23/12/2016 09:56

Mine are always like that if they don't spend their energy somehow. They are like puppies. Long walk with their bikes or scooters, frisbee in the park, swimming, anything to take them out of the house for at least a couple of hours.

Same before a long flight. We are one of these families you see running around the airport (in quiet corners if possible) to tired them out.

Note3 · 23/12/2016 09:58

Mine also bicker and fight constantly. I've told them unless someone is going to die, getting hurt or breaking something then they need to stop telling tales. Youngest nodded in agreement then continued telling eldest had looked at her funny...grr

Your only hope is to keep them busy and out the house for a chunk of the day. Take them somewhere easy for you but active for them (park or soft play). Then when you come home try sitting them to watch a movie and of not then adopt my strategy and have one upstairs and one downstairs on a rotational basis (I literally use a timer!)

WaxyBean · 23/12/2016 09:58

Snap here - 7 and 4 year old boys driving me bonkers and they only broke up Weds pm! We did a big park yesterday which worked well for a few hours.

The current working punishment is losing 10p on pocket money for any hitting, kicking of each other or deliberate rudeness to me. They can earn it back through good behaviour though.

DH finsihes work at lunchtime - we've already had words about how he needs to come home then and help me with the boys before I go balmy, but he still thinks he is going to the pub this afternoon. Over my dead body.....

ChipInTheSugar · 23/12/2016 10:02

What about when a two hour bike ride/trip to the trampoline place etc don't wear them out? DS(8) is HORRENDOUSLY behaved - it feels like a super nanny trailer since we broke up from school

Mol1628 · 23/12/2016 10:03

Mine are terrible too. So tired so I've been letting them stay home and rest but they're constantly fighting. Take them out and they get tired so they fight more.

Christmas with children is shite.

OvertiredandConfused · 23/12/2016 10:04

Hate to say it, but it doesn't get any better! Mine are now 13 and 15. I can't leave them alone in the same room and the constant bickering when we're all together is sucking the joy out of Christmas

smellyboot · 23/12/2016 10:04

definately try the friends round trick. Honestly the bickering stops as soon as other children appear and they have some one to play with. Everyone I know does it. Iva ehad texts this week literally asking if people can borrow my two for a while !!!!! I then get work and wrapping done... win win

LunaLoveg00d · 23/12/2016 10:07

This is what happens when the build-up to Christmas starts around Halloween. Burned out, exhausted, over stimulated kids.

Mine are just the same and thanks to Storm Barbara it's pelting down so we're all stuck in the house.

GoodStuffAnnie · 23/12/2016 10:08

This is like therapy.

It's true Christmas with children is shit.

I try to massively lower my expectations. Only do one thing a day. Never do crafts. Who did crafts in the 80s70s? Who imposes this shit on us! And treat it like school. Up dressed out.

Original poster

Munted · 23/12/2016 10:11

Couldn't bear it any longer and we've taken them to softplay. But, contrary little buggers that they are, they would not agree on which one to go to, cue fighting and more bickering.

Finally got them here and am enjoying a tepid hot chocolate in the company of equally harrassed parents

OP posts:

Glittermakeseverythingbetter · 23/12/2016 10:17

Ugh, mine are too old for soft play thank goodness. Mind they don't pick up a cold, chicken pox or norovirus while you're there OP. Merry Christmas xxx

user1477282676 · 23/12/2016 10:18

I had my 8 year old cut out paper snowflakes yesterday....that worked for about two hours! She was engrossed.

ScarfSearcher · 23/12/2016 10:26

Are you me? Although mine break up at 1145 today. TV and a run this afternoon!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/12/2016 10:27

I'll trade you for a 17yo who wants to stay on the XBox and resents his precious gaming time spent talking to his parents. Little git .

And a beautiful 14.6yo who loves her clothes and make-up and is single handedly getting the economy out of recession.

I sort of miss the 4-10 years when they were excited by it all.

katplva · 23/12/2016 10:32

Paper snowflakes sounds like a good idea, I might try that one (or does it just create an almighty mess of paper bits that block the hoover?) I have two DC at home with chickenpox so we can't get out to burn off the excess energy and they are driving me mad! The wind and rain outside aren't helping either. I might take the PP's advice and turn to drink

mummydawn07 · 23/12/2016 10:43

my 2 broke up on weds at 1:30pm and my youngest wasn't even at school for that day... she's got bloody chicken pox which she caught from my eldest daughter so we are kind of stuck at the mo, I can't wait for it to just pass, well so far there hasn't been any night problems and she hasn't started complaining of itchiness YET.... I bet it starts tomorrow night!! xmas eve the one night I want to chill with a glass of something nice and have a good time while the little rat bags are in bed asleep

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