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Children's behaviour in the run up to Christmas

2 replies

Goinggreymammy · 20/12/2023 19:02

First time starting my own thread. But I'm just so disillusioned with my children's behaviour the past week or so. 3 kids, 10, 8, 5. One ASD. Its not like I have unreasonable expectations.... the ASD child has major challenges controlling his reactions to anything he perceives as a demand or negative, and it causes issues with his sisters. We usually manage OK, I can keep them things running reasonably smoothly if I am very vigilant and tuned into them, but there are blow ups. But this past few weeks they have all been ... well... horrid. To each other and to me. Nothing is good enough, they complain massively about everyday things like eating a normal dinner, having a shower etc. As if vegetables should be banned cause its December.
We dont go overboard with stuff for Christmas. Our Dec is mainly focused on simple activities like reading Christmas books, playing games if they want, baking etc. I try not to overwhelm them cause I know it can all be too much. I have said several times I don't believe in the Naughty List cause talk of it from friends/films was making the older two go extra crazy when they had a blow up. I am understanding and calm and tell them its all OK, we just try again.
But.... I am getting really sick of it now. They have been just horrid to everyone all day today. I feel like just doing nothing Christmassy at all until we put out the mince pies and carrots on the 24th.
Am I alone?

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DingDongBella · 20/12/2023 19:25

It’s the same every year, everyone is tired towards the end of term. Everyone also expects to be having Christmassy fun which creates unreal expectations.
Just keep doing what you are doing safe in the knowledge it will all settle down once the day itself is over. Not long to go, this too shall end.

Goinggreymammy · 21/12/2023 00:06

@DingDongBella you are probably right. Last year Christmas run up was stressful and the day itself my son got so overwhelmed and upset that he was physically attacking me in the middle of the night (he had ear infection and was refusing calpol/neurofen.. ..)
So I was determined to keep it all light and calm this year. But the girls have been so cranky. Maybe just tired and stressed from all the Christmas hype everywhere else.
If I see another Santa popping up I will run away. We were out for a walk last Sat in a park/gardens and he was doing the rounds, appeared after church on Sun, and then was at my son's football party. So even if I try to keep it all normal you're right.... the crazy seeps in from elsewhere. I used to love December but I'm actually wishing it was January now.

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