Hi all just looking for some advice. Not sure if what I'm describing is normal or do I need some parenting advice and tips.
I have two children, one 6 year old and one 3 year old. I have just come off sertraline after two years as felt my mood was better and I didn't want to stay on it long term. However since coming off it my moods have been all over the place and I cry an awful lot, mainly due to children's behaviour and feeling trapped in parenthood, completely floundering around with no idea what I'm doing.
I am just not sure if my children's behaviour is normal. My 3 year old whinges every time I'm in conversation with someone else, she pulls on my jeans etc and cries for attention. I find it so stressful as I already suffer with social anxiety so having a crying child hanging off me when I'm trying to talk to another mum really stressful as I then have to try and deal with the behaviour but I've no idea how to.
My 6 year old is also demanding, and gets bored very easily if not watching TV. He does not know what to do with himself. We have just been out this morning to a soft play and he kept saying he was hungry and wanted crisps....when I said I'd get some at some point he repeatedly asked again and again when he could have crisps. He then said he was bored and didn't want to play before becoming so hyperactive he was throwing himself around the soft play area. He then got so silly and disobedient, he wouldn't follow simple instructions and defied me again and again. My daughter then copied and I told her repeatedly not to splash in a puddle but she ignored me and carried on doing so until she covered her shoes and mine in black muddy rain water.
I'm really finding it so hard at the moment. I kno this sounds miniscule but I feel they have no respect for me and are incredibly defiant at times. My friends children didn't behave in this way so why do mine? I feel like I give them so much love, time And attention but they also need to understand that I want to talk to other adults and that they don't always have to be 100% priority. No idea how the strike the balance.
Feeling lost 😢