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 🥃

@Joeblack066

It’s what you make it. You could change this but you’d rather whinge. Grow up.

My god, you are a mean person! It’s nice to be nice.......

Hmm... I shouldn’t tempt fate until tomorrow’s out, but based on today I think I’m in a sweet spot ATM with 8 and 2. 2 doesn’t really have a clue what’s going on, so she’s just been her normal sweet self and gone to bed as usual this eve. 8 is just about self-regulated enough to enjoy it and also to not go beserk and to appreciate the little things and to try to sleep properly tonight so as not to be exhausted and grumpy tomorrow. I think the littlest may hit Christmas Trouble Zone as of next year though!

My 18 month old obviously doesn't have a clue and tomorrow is just a normal day in his mind so I am looking forward to when he understands things more!!!

Well DH and I have just had a huge argument because I pointed out that if we leave a pile of presents out for the eldest, the 1 year old will rip them all apart before we can stop it. I think we should just leave presents from FC out and then hand each of our ones one by one, he thinks all presents should be out and presumably I'll have to manually restrain a manic toddler and deal with the fallout of an upset DD when her presents have all been opened for her

I remember Christmas Eve when my oldest two were about 5 and 2, showing up on my dad’s doorstep so they could “help” him stuff the turkey; I was so worn out and just didn’t have a clue what to do with them. I think the sweet spot was when the youngest was 4.
I’ve got ds(14) and ds(18) at home for Christmas this year. Even the 18 year old almost had a tantrum over an (accidentally) knocked over monopoly board. I sometimes think I put too much pressure on Christmas, as I only have them every other year. But you do end up looking back with rose tinted specs.

Under 3 it's hard in a way as they don't really get it. It's better after then until about 11. 12yo is a bit nonchalant about it now!

But I find the little ones stage to be quite good as well as it's all low key with no expectations as they have no idea what's happening. 2yo is completely overwhelmed by the concept of presents and wants to give them to people straight away, so we've had to hide everything.

Clockstop we've put ours on the table so the 2yo can't easily get to them. He couldn't reach at all when he was 1. He can reach now but at least it gives us a bit of distance to say no if he wants to dive in.

20 and 17 year old here, just been reminiscing with DD 17 about Christmases past and all she remembers is excitement, fun, having trouble getting to sleep and the magic of it all. We used to simply put mince pies and milk out for Father Christmas - no Christmas Eve boxes, matching PJs, loads of over excitement, just a slow build from when school finished.

I know it’s hard, even without them getting massively over excited we used to be on our knees by Christmas Day but honestly it goes by so fast, try and enjoy it end make it as special as you can.

I promise you you’ll look back and wish for it all over again.

I know it's really hard work and very stressful with little ones and I feel for you. But I've got nearly adult children and it's the first year we're not seeing the little ones in the extended family. I must admit I'm really going to miss the excitement of being around excited little faces. It's all going to be very quiet this year.

Definitely sweet spot here... Dds aged 23,21,17,17
All made it home... We have spent afternoon prepping lunch for tomorrow.
Made cocktails
Eaten huge dinner and I am now in bed... Stockings filled, plate for santa done, girls put themselves to bed!

You'll miss these times in years to come! Then you'll end up like me, on your own Christmas day with a weight watchers frozen meal! Seriously though, enjoy every minute, these are precious moments 💕

Step away from the carefully orchestrated Facebook posts. They're set up, cleaned up and fucked up.

DS 1 hasn't got a clue what's happening tbh

Try having two fucking teen girls and ongoing shite between Mother (who has just lost husband) and pathetic ex partner who youngest daughter (14) insists comes over tomorrow evening (yippee!). I worked. 12-hr shift today, am doing another on Boxing Day and am cooking effing Christmas dinner with a big, fat smile on my face - I will keep my mouth shut because it’s Christmas and just praise the Lord for my kind and sweet son who has had one hell of a year but remains wonderful!!

Happy bloody Christmas to all! xxxx

Make the most of it and make memories....I wished their lives away and would give anything to go back 25 years and do it all over again...trust me.....enjoy every second...tiring yes, exhausting absolutely.....I would give anything for some life and excitement in my house tonight...it's soooooooooooooo bloody quiet and it's heartbreaking literally x

I don't have kids but my cat has just pulled the tree down and the lights have broken.

Feeling calmer now that everyone is (finally) asleep and the presents are laid out under the tree and everything is ready for tomorrow.

Similar to what a lot of you are saying, I have bene trying to keep it simple - no Christmas Eve boxes, matching pjs, special shop-bought "Santa's mince pie plate" etc...,,and it's still been an absolute nightmare. They must just get them so hyped-up in nursery I think.

We've got some lovely Christmas books and we didn't even get to read one because the 3 year old just got himself so worked up he got massively overtired then just conked out.

But, again, as so many of you say, these will be the christmases I'll miss in years to come!

Anyway, Christmas Day is fast approaching; Merry Christmas to you all xxxxxx

@Bunnybigears

Can I swap you for a teenager and a pre teen who are too cool for Christmas?

Ha me too! Dd nearly 15 and ds 11 were forced to go to into their rooms at 10pm so I could put their gifts out then go to bed!!

Just one year ahead of you and so lovely to see like minded people on this thread!

We also try avoid the commercialism of Christmas and focus on activities we can do together. No Xmas eve boxes or elves either and advent is a wooden one with a themed activity for the day (simple things like making cards, watching movies etc).

I find the anticipation plus overload of presents makes them go crazy, much prefer keeping it simple and keeping them busy.

I love that my 4 year old knows who santa is and enjoys the Christmas movies now but at the same time, I'm still her biggest influence so I can guide her that santa will only bring one present and there not be external pressure yet

Merry Christmas all

@Joeblack066 Look everyone, the Grinch is on MN!

Christmas just feels like another day to get through till bedtime. But at least my in-laws are cooking and the baby and four year olds have presents to entertain them, so I’m grateful for that.

However it will still be a 12 hour day of chasing the two kids around, stopping them snatching each other’s toys, protecting the cat and all the in-laws ornaments that are always left within reach of my very inquisitive baby. It will be a nice day, but - like every day with two under 5s - not remotely relaxing!

[quote EKGEMS]@Joeblack066 Look everyone, the Grinch is on MN![/quote]
Are you calling me the Grinch?! I had 3 kids as a single Mum after their dad fucked off with money and an older woman with no kids. Skint every fucking day but gave them magical Christmases which in their 30s they still remember. 4 th child’s Dad died on Christmas Day when she was 10. Worked fucking hard to reinstate Christmas as a happy time in her little head, and do you know what? It worked. At 23 she loves Christmas.
Do you know what I never did? Moan it was ‘shit”.
No one gets to call me the Grinch. Wind your fucking neck in.
Now I’m off to enjoy Christmas, with traditions started when I was single, skint, and never thought this magical day with my wonderful children was shit.

Hope you have a nice calm day today tutti and don't forget to take some photos. Like you say, you'll miss these Christmases in years to come

The very early years are just hard. Once they're both 4 plus, it starts to be brilliant at Christmas, but when they're tiny it's pretty relentless all year round, and routine breaks make that worse.

As an aside, in our house Christmas Eve boxes help calm them down. They have a new book each, new pyjamas (which they'd get anyway, really) and a new tree decoration, and in past years we had an Xmas themed rubber duck to encourage bathtime being tempting, which then initiates bedtime routine. It sort of draws a line under the day and transitions them into their beds. I get that if you do presents, hot chocolate, a DVD etc in them then it won't, no - just amps up anticipation - but I use them as a way to signal the day's end and that it's now time to prepare for sleep, so Father Christmas can come. It works.

I hope you're having a good day.

Totally understand I've got a toddler and a baby and all my toddler has done is tantrum and she doesn't really understand yet what going on. I do put more pressure on myself for it all to be perfect because of social media I think, I need to just stay off it at this time of year.