Irritated but my children 😪

[Nowheretogo1985]

I feel such guilt posting this but I don't kno if what I'm feeling is normal. My children really annoy me....and I feel myself getting so so angry. My eldest (Ds 7) won't brush his teeth properly and makes loud irritating noises when he's not got Anything to do. I just want him to brush his teeth normally its a battle. Whenever he doesn't have screen time he mopes about saying he's bored and wants me to play. I do play but I have to do other things as well such as make tea and tidy etc. He just seems discontent, fed up and miserable sometimes. I feel like I can't wait until I drop them both in school and I'm away from them and by myself. I don't want to feel like this but at the moment I feel I'm getting zero joy out of being a parent..I want to enjoy spending time with them. If we try and play games it usually ends up with them fighting ot just nessonh about and sabotaging thr game. I just feel at the end of my tether and not sure what ive done wrong 😔

You need to completely get rid of screens.

Has this worked for you?

That’s totally going to help with the teeth brushing <eye roll>

I don’t think you need to get rid of screens. It’s far too draconian and probably counterproductive. It probably would be good to have some screen free time though and if possible to find something you like watching together.

My DS and I can really rub one another up the wrong way and I find we’re both better out of the house. It’s hard on winter evenings obviously but weekends are good for adventure playgrounds and outdoor activities (weather permitting) or things like trampolining sessions are good as well.

One of my DC was awful at finding things to do by herself at this age. She’s now 8.5 and it’s so much better. Hang in there.

Have a list of ideas - read a book, draw a picture, practice a skill, build some Lego, play with skipping rope/ball/something else in the garden. Keep pointing him to the list. Or ask him to help fold the laundry or tidy up, it’s amazing how quickly he will find something else to do

Thank you! Love the list idea, definitely going to try that. Not going to go cold turkey on the screen time. But when I collected them from School today I told them there wasn't going to be any screen time until after bath. May be coincidence but the change in my sons behaviour was unbelievable. Hes been a lot calmer and happier this eve xx