Christmas with young kids is shit

[tuttifuckinfruity]

anyone else?

It looks wonderful with kids from maybe age 5 or so......but I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and my husband and I are tearing our hair out.

3 year old is obviously overexcited, but that has manifested in some pretty naughty / defiant behaviour today. 1 year old doesn't have a clue and, when the 3 year old is behaving nicely and trying to help wrap some last minute presents / lay out snacks for Santa and Rudolph, the 1 year old is ripping up wrapping paper and scattering milk and porridge oats everywhere. Which gets the 3 year old stressed and bad tempered.

I dunno. It's just chaos. But everyday is chaos with them. I'm not really explaining it very well, I know I'm not. I know I'm not the only one, but I'm just putting out there in contrast to all the perfect Facebook posts doing the rounds tonight.

Happy Christmas 🥃

I always downplayed Christmas. There’s lots of pressure to do Christmas Eve boxes and this and that. To be honest, I think it winds them up.
You don’t need to do all that. We do nice things in the run up but I try not to make too much of a deal, especially in the few days before.
Christmas is still super exciting and amazing in itself. I don’t think children are good at waiting for things. Christmas starts weeks before now and I think by the time it actually comes around they are a bit exhausted from it all.
I did this because my SIL was the opposite. One of her children is an adult and still doesn’t sleep. I remember when he was 8 he stayed up all night as he was too excited. It ruined everyone’s day. Another year he got so excited he vomited. I like calm (Christmas Day is still always mental though).

Yes Xmas with under 5yrs old is not how they depict it in books. My childless friends want to know if my 3yr old is excited and if we are tracking Santa on the app ....we’ll she’s moaning that she wants the presents under the tree, asked me 109 times why Santa won’t have the carrot and interrupted my Christmas story book to ask to watch paw patrol instead....oh and threw a wobbly when I asked her not to shake her 7 wk old baby sister and pose for the bloody Christmas Eve making memories photo!!!

Yep. And mine are older, but still hyped up and being stupid. Even though we are trying to keep it calm. Sent to their rooms for kicking tonight.

Normally we can spread the load a bit with other adults in the house. And the adults get the excitement of hanging out with family to compensate for the kids. It’s rubbish this year.

Oh and I had to do a stocking for a 7 wk old in case she twigs but she won’t notice, had i not done one she would have noticed ;)

Yup... my 2yo and 1yo are both currently tantrumming in bed

I agree with PP. Its all too much and they get over stimulated and tearful.
3 yo DS has no idea its Christmas tomorrow.
I cant wait to see his little face in the morning

It gets easier! My 8 year old and 4 year old have been a pleasure. They played while I baked and I definitely feel less stress. The last 8 years have been tougher. Hang in there!

Just been reading another thread where older Mumsnetters are feeling nostalgic about the magic of Christmas with little children [[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4115324-Always-feel-sort-of-forlorn-at-Christmas]]

If we all stop thinking it has to be perfect and like something on Instagram we'll feel a lot better about it, I reckon.

Oh god yeah down play it...its a sensory overload otherwise at that age !
Elf on the shelf , xmas eve box , reindeer food , and that's before the big day
We are only just getting into the whole shebang now ds is aged 6 .
Dont put so much pressure on yourself, have a great Christmas x

We have 11, 10, 5 and 2. 2yo won't go to sleep so older girls are cobby as they want their hot chocolate bombs and their hair doing but dh is busy swearing at a toy shop that I told him not to leave til the last min. Dss5 has been hysterical with excitement and an utter pain but was the first to go asleep so hes my favourite. Tomorrow will be just as chaotic but also magical

Last year we had an almost three year old and a 7 week old and we had a blast. This year we have an 8 month old and he couldn't care less about Christmas! I miss having a small person for Christmas.

I’ve got a 3 year old and 10 month old and I know what you mean; my 3 year old is over excited and it’s ending up in some quite difficult behaviour and the 10 month old is trying to grab the tree, pull presents up etc. It’s also not possible to drink that much as obviously need to be responsible enough to care for them.

My 2.5 and 1 year old have been pretty OK so I’m not stressed but I have to admit I’m worried about tomorrow. I think they will be overwhelmed by the amount of presents and food and end up having gigantic tantrums!

5 year old and 1 year old here. I just treat them like dogs and walked them around fields all day today. We've done a bit of baking but no specific Xmas things.

My 3 year old ran to bed all super cute and mega excited whilst my 8 month old screamed in my face 🤣 the joy of Christmas!

Dd5 and this year has been the best so far she loves the magic of it all excited helping wrap last presents an then doing the bell jingle sprinking the reindeer dust an watching a film only recently sits still for films. ds12 on other has spent most of day playing ps.

2 and 4 year olds here. The 4 year old has actually been really lovely and went to bed quite nicely. I have threatened to throw the younger one out of the window twice after "starring bedtime" almost two hours ago however. No-one will be having presents at this rate because they will still be in the attic at 4am while I try and convince my 2 year old to GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP. My husband is trying to sort stuff while I sit upstairs with her but we have heavy things to move and assemble.

Meanwhile I made the mistake of looking at my Facebook which is full of 'magical selfies" and posts about perfect angel children in bed by 7. FUCK OFF. I think I need to delete it again.

I just found life a bit relentless when mine were all under 5... not just Christmas. Those years were hard.

They are 8, 6 and 4 now and I reckon I am in the golden era of parenting soon to decline when my eldest becomes a tween!

Don't put pressure on yourself OP. Just one foot in front of the other is ok!

My son used to wake up so early and keep getting up until we gave in - exhausting

You have my sympathy 💐

Just negotiated with him tonight, not before 7am tomorrow.

He is twelve

@Clockstop

5 year old and 1 year old here. I just treat them like dogs and walked them around fields all day today. We've done a bit of baking but no specific Xmas things.

Read that as '..done a bit of barking..' and thought, "well that's one way of wearing them out!"

I didn't tell my kids it was Christmas Eve until they were 4
Worked fantastically 😃

Just like add my 16 year old won't get up now
Even though I'm up and going hey get up it's Christmas 😃😃😃
6 year old is still up doing my head in

You'll have lovely photos of them looking cute but yes, it's hard work at that age.

My DCs are 7 and 10 and are becoming quite agreeable people. Today they woke at 8am, plated for a bit, got their own breakfast. I made decorations with them then they went on their consoles for a while whilst I cleaned the house. I had a nap after lunch. They did their own showers this evening. We watched the Beatrix Potter film, they played a board game together, they've just gone to bed.

It's a million times easier now than when they were little!

Played not plated

Totally agree. We have an overexcited just 4 year old who just won't stay in bed.
It was all going so well until dh had to bring the 8 week old up to me while I was doing story as he wouldn't settle. She went from quiet and sleepy to mental quite rapidly.
To top it off ds will only feed from my left side so I am going to be lopsided on Christmas day.
The joy of parenting.