I don't accept "s/he's tired" as an excuse for bad behaviour

[Twiglett]

from anyone

well I nod and smile, but inside I'm thinking .. no, crap excuse

when DS / DD misbehave they do it because they're PITAs

what do you think of the age old excuse?

I think it can be a valid excuse. Behaviour definitely deteriorates in this house when the boys are tired. With ds2 hunger does it as well - exactly like me - I've I'm desperate to eat I have the shortest fuse in the world and I cannot function at all.

They're all brats

"I need hot food in my tummy" How sweet

when my dd is tired she runs around everywhere and is VERY loud. as a complete contrast to what everyone is saying, when i am tired i am MUCH nicer - relaxed, easy-going, happy. not the usual sort of control-freakery behaviour. when i'm exhausted i'm at my best

stumpydog - my dd also becomes incredibly active when she's tired - and no one believes me when I say she's tired. This is a big problem when she's with her grandparents or cousins, because they wear her out so much that she comes home literally hysterical with tiredness and very hard to calm down. Then they that she's naughty and that her behaviour isn't normal.

Would you be needing a little nap, Twiglett?

No Blu, she's just being a PITA

She got SO ratty, VVV, she turned into a Very Bad Mouse.

its a reason. doesn't mean they get away with bad behaviour, just that you understand why they are a grizzly, stubborn, argumentative, stroppy PITA when you send them to their room and stop pocket money until 2012!

see mytwopenceworth knows wherefore I speak

in response to op:
ds1 bites when he is tired but at no other time.
he also tests me when he is tired.

Only read OP so osrry if you've all moved on now!

DD1 is definatley intolerant when she is tired.

I collect her from my mums after work and sometimes nothing I say or do is right and she's all teary. Within seconds of being in the car she's snoring and stays asleeop when I carry her into the house.

Why would I not excuse her intolerance and tears for being really tired?
It doesn't mean I baby her and sayn'ohhhh never mind shouting no at mummy when I ask you to put your coat on, poor thing you're tired'. I still tell her not to shout, all teh same rules still apply but I don't make a big deal of it or get upset with her or the situation as i know she's shattered.

My DS was so tired today I seriously considered leaving him behind. He was a little git. I ended up screaming at him. He ran away from me at the cash point with a que and it was a close tie between securing either him or my money. The trip that should have been an hour, with time playing in the park allowed, took 2 and a half hours. I ended up carrying him, his teddy, teddies pushchair (that idea worked so soo well on Sunday, why not today??) books from library and food shopping home, while being 7 weeks pregnant. Impressed? I don't bloody think so. I am still cross now and he has done nothing but sit meekly since we returned, which as the time by then was 4.30, was far too late for a nap twigg.