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Parenting

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To genuinely hate weekends with kids

451 replies

ithinkineehelp · 22/04/2024 10:57

I need to rant as I can’t take it any more. I HATE weekends, to the point that it makes me question why I ever became a mother. I have two boys 5 yo and 3.5 yo. I WANT to enjoy them but they are too much!!! From the moment they wake up (7ish) to the time they go to bed (8ish) they just want want want. It’s constant!! They keep doing their own things, they scream ALL DAY they whine about everything and they whole vibe at home is so negative.
I shout so much and I become a person I hate, but I feel that I am so sick of this whole motherhood thing. I am so overwhelmed and overtouched and overtalked. I can’t do anything I like or eat anything I like. They won’t eat anything, they won’t watch tv not even for 5 minutes, if they play together they pull all the toys down and make a mess and then they fight over one toy. I have to constantly be on top of them. I have zero down time or any time to catch up on any housework or anything else that's not kids related. My husband is useless so everything is on me (story for another thread, please dont fixate on this!!!).
I also have to batch cook for the coming days (we both work full time), sort out all the weekend meals (my kids won’t eat take out or anything from a restaurant) but then they won’t eat anything anyway. I might need to pop to the shops but if I take one of the kids with me I end up yelling or too annoyed at them. We take them out to parks and stuff but they soon get hungry, won't eat anything and then they are miserable. I love them to bits and I want to enjoy them but I can’t!!! They are too much along with everything else I need to do!! I hate my life and I wish I could just leave or jump out a window sometimes... Everyone keep telling me that I am still in the trenches but honestly when will it get easier?? I just need them to eat the food I make them and watch TV without talking to me for an hour! Is it too much to ask??

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
SuperGreens · 24/04/2024 22:42

You could leave, he will have to parent then. You can have them every other weekend for lovely times and then hand them back to him for the day to day slog for the next fortnight. It will cost about 16% of your pre tax salary, which is bargain a fraction of what they actually cost. And when they are older and easier to deal with, you can go 50/50. Happens all the time and if anything the kids love the weekend parent more as they are more relaxed and fun.

Teenagehorrorbag · 24/04/2024 22:46

OP I feel for you. I had twins so the same age - which I think is easier than a gap sometimes - but they were at least happy to watch TV for periods while I cooked etc.

I'm surprised yours don't - most parents seem to complain that they can't get their kids off the screens? Mine were glued to CBeebies or DVDs of Tweenies, Dora the Explorer or Stuart Little - hours of free time!

Not saying we should use the TV as a babysitter, but it really was a lifesaver. Might your younger one watch TV and your 5 yo play CBBC games on the ipad? You do need some downtime!

Re your DP - I know you say that's a different issue but does he help at all? I did do most of the childcare as I was a SAHM and DH worked, but he did help a bit at weekends if I asked. He wouldn't do much unprompted but if I said e.g. feed them while I'm cooking - he would. He'd also take them to the park and give me a lie in...... Little things can help a lot!

Scarletttulips · 24/04/2024 22:47

You need to sit down and come up with a list of things that are non negotiable.

No snacks, or limit to Saturday’s only.

Breakfast is on the table - then cleared away - don’t give in to whining.

Serve lunch - make a table of cucumber, cheese, ham, bread, grapes and sit with them - talk about anything other than food.

When done say 20 mins - clear away. Be consistent.

The more you do this the quicker they realize they need to eat the food that’s available.

Same for dinner. Put it out and if they don’t eat it it’s cleared away.

Your anxiety is being picked up - if you are eating ready meals they won’t each fresh food.

I really think you need counseling.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

oakleaffy · 24/04/2024 23:04

Sayingitstraight · 22/04/2024 13:59

You have a useless DH, giving in and giving them sugar then wonder why they can't concentrate. I mean this kindly, my kids eat what I make or they go hungry, it's that simple. How's their behaviour at nursery?

So true.

@ithinkineehelp No sweets, no wonder they are loopy fed on that stuff. White pasta? They need better nutrition than that, no wonder they whine, they are likely lacking proper nutrition. Kids need better quality food, and it definitely makes for better behaviour.

Kids go manic on sugar.

Any child who is hungry will eat healthier food.

Cut the sweets and biscuits.

scottishGirl · 24/04/2024 23:06

Please contact Home Start and also your Health Visitor for support. Both you and dh sound burned out. Could you hire a baby sitter once a month to come for half a day on a weekend so you get a chance to recharge ? Or a cleaner to take that burden away?

When you feel you've had a recharge I would enrol them in some weekend activities and be firm that they will attend the whole block.

You could also call ParentLine for advice https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline

Parentline family support and bullying helpline | Family Lives

Free and confidential family support and bullying helpline from Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus). Free and confidential from landlines and most mobiles 0808 800 2222. Alternatively, you can email us at [email protected] for advice and sup...

https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline

EnglishBluebell · 24/04/2024 23:08

Wow. I love spending time with my DC I look forward to the weekends. Even when I was a single parent. In fact, especially so as a single parent. Something's not right here

MrsDoubtfire24 · 24/04/2024 23:09

I can (and I do) but what happens afterwards when they are tired and hungry but refuse to eat and become so clingy and miserable and whine about everything?

What happens is you parent them, you create consequences for the whining and bad behaviour. What do you actually do when they act up like this?

There is no food issues at school and the only reason there is at home is because it’s become a power play. No child has ever died from not eating for a day.

Your husband really is a useless twat and is undermining you. I would take a firm stance. He either starts to parent as a team, or he parents alone on a 50/50 basis.

Icehockeyflowers · 24/04/2024 23:11

EnglishBluebell · 24/04/2024 23:08

Wow. I love spending time with my DC I look forward to the weekends. Even when I was a single parent. In fact, especially so as a single parent. Something's not right here

How nice for you but how does this help the OP?

BrightNewLife · 24/04/2024 23:13

@ithinkineehelp I haven’t RTFT but enough to sympathize!

Try the amazing book: How to Talk so kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk.

https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/adele-faber/how-to-talk-so-kids-will-listen-and-listen-so-kids-will-talk/9781848123090?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADZzAIAuM36RXIi7YCTf31-ETyQZg&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwZe5pu_bhQMV85WDBx0AlAhvEAQYASABEgL_BvD_BwE#GOR005178227

It very much worked for me and I did a course on it too.

Like @mightymam though, what really helped is that I left my useless DH. 😅

lros · 24/04/2024 23:15

Oh I feel you. I have nearly 5, 3.5 and a 1 year old. I go to work for a break! It is very full on. I work full time hours plus extra but shift work. DH is 9-5. We manage if I’m off on the weekend my DH will get up with the kids and leave me in bed. I will either sleep or be awake and relax with a coffee before psyching myself to get up. The youngest will go to bed and settle himself to sleep at night. The older 2 need one of us to sit with them until they’re asleep. We alternate this on the nights I’m home so that we get an hour down time to do something for us. I will have a bath!

My house is a mess! I have learned to lower my standards over the years. Pre children my house was a show home. Now everything is cluttered or destroyed. We literally manage a daily hoover of carpets and quick wipe down of surfaces. I have days when it all gets too much and I have to tidy/clean as it’s driving me mad. But I just do what I can and know they’ll be able to entertain themselves in a few years and we’ll hopefully have more time to spend on the house.

You can only do what you can do.
Try a slow cooker overnight on the Friday. Slow cook another meal Saturday day and that evening. And don’t cook on the Sunday! Maybe have a lie in on Saturday. And let DH lie in on Sunday. Take one child each one of the days and swap the following week. Do something with them on their own for a few hours and focus on them. They will love the attention and hopefully be more settled at home. Then family day the next day. Just something for a few hours where they feel they are the focus of your attention.

Can you schedule a days holiday (once a month?) when the kids are in nursery/school to do something just for you. Guilt free! Get your hair done. Go shopping. Spa.

Know you’re not alone. It is so hard.

Wanttobefree2 · 24/04/2024 23:28

I found my own kids very hard work at this age, they are teens now and good kids.

The one thing I wished my ex would have done is to just take the kids out for a drive once a week so I had an hour or two to myself, once they were in their car seats they were pretty good and could also be bribed with some nuggets from McDonalds and also enjoyed a singalong in the car. I know this might not work for your scenario but your husband doesn’t HAVE to get them out of the car, but it would have made a lot of difference to my mental health back then.

UPALLNIGHTMNETTING · 24/04/2024 23:40

Softplay? It's a neon hellhole, but the children leave the adults alone when they're there, and are tired out afterwards and may be more amenable to watching TV a bit. Which is why we all still go!

When our oldest (also 3.5) is overly demanding, we introduced him playing in his room for an hour, with a visual timer and a baby monitor. Not as a punishment, we say something like "you seem to be getting bored, so we're going to put you in your room to play whilst the grown-ups do boring jobs. Afterwards when the jobs are done, we can do X". He has special toys he's only allowed out during these times too. He always screams blue murder when he goes up there, but within 4 minutes he's engrossed in some cute imagination game. Obviously the room gets trashed, but at least you get some headspace and the mess is contained in one area.

Could you utilise them wanting to do stuff with you? As in, get them to help with batch cooking, even if it's a bit slower at least they're engaged and not whinging. The 5 year old can surely learn to load the dishwasher alongside you - maybe he'll enjoy the structure / responsibility?

We utilise time outs too, for hitting / fighting "to calm down" but actually to stop me leaving to live with a trucker called Norma. It has reduced the fighting a bit.

We joke about any whinging. If anyone starts stropping, we pull the angriest joke face we can, and rage "ONGRY MUMMY! ONGRY CHRIS!!!" About 70% of the time it diffuses the whinging.

I agree it's soul destroying when they're hangry yet won't eat. Play them off against each other with some competitive eating? "That's fine if you don't want your sausage - Chris can have it and grow up bigger and stronger. There'll be cake for him too, as he's eaten up nicely. We'll save some for you don't worry, for later if you eat your next dinner up properly". I'm sure a therapist will be hearing about it in a decade or so, but it's a classic tactic for a reason.

slore · 24/04/2024 23:43

Your husband is worse than useless, he's actively undermining you. When he says everyone else can do it, why can't you? You need to repeat that back to him because he does nothing at all so why can't he parent his own children?

And he's sabotaging the diet of your growing children. It sounds like they are getting minimal nutrition and everything is simple carbs.

Can't they have yoghurts or fruit, or chocolate peanuts? It will satisfy the urge for sugar while giving them nutrients.

While this dietary problem is ongoing, definitely give them a gummy vitamin for children to make sure they don't get deficiencies.

Aria999 · 24/04/2024 23:56

Any child who is hungry will eat healthier food.

Some children are willing to be hungry for quite a long time rather than eat foods out of their safe zone.

This isn't a fight everyone has it in them to win.

DS age 4 was talking about wanting to die because he had to eat the food at nursery. You can't always get your kids to eat well by making them hungry, it's complicated.

AnonoMisss · 25/04/2024 00:06

ithinkineehelp · 22/04/2024 14:20

Thank you for your positive post. I am so stressed and so overwhelmed that I am really struggling to find anything fun in my life right now. Yes we do take them out but even this is too exhausting with them constantly wanting attention, asking for ice cream and stuff… I guess I do need to find the strength to be focused more on them, I am just struggling a lot at the moment

This weekend tell your useless husband you are going out on Saturday and book a massage and go and have some alone time and relax. That's step 1.

AnonoMisss · 25/04/2024 00:09

MrsDoubtfire24 · 24/04/2024 23:09

I can (and I do) but what happens afterwards when they are tired and hungry but refuse to eat and become so clingy and miserable and whine about everything?

What happens is you parent them, you create consequences for the whining and bad behaviour. What do you actually do when they act up like this?

There is no food issues at school and the only reason there is at home is because it’s become a power play. No child has ever died from not eating for a day.

Your husband really is a useless twat and is undermining you. I would take a firm stance. He either starts to parent as a team, or he parents alone on a 50/50 basis.

Couples counselling right away or divorce!!!!

Pallisers · 25/04/2024 00:34

ithinkineehelp · 22/04/2024 14:13

They are different children at nursery

This is interesting. Is there a member of the nursery staff you could talk to about what works and doesn't work for your children.

Do they eat the food nursery gives them?

Do they like the routine of nursery?

Honestly, I think you have a dh problem here. I could not have survived those years if dh and I weren't on the same team/page with it. But that's not what you asked about.

Do you have any friends with similar aged children? If so, could you suggest meeting up on a Saturday or Sunday to go to the zoo/park/beach/walk together. Some of the happiest times of my life were when my kids were tiny and we were friends with another couple with similar aged children. Every saturday morning one of us would call at 9 and say "do you want to meet" at that point we'd have all been up for 2 hours minimum wrangling kids so yes we wanted to get out of the house. we'd pack a picnic and head out together. the kids were easier to manage with others, we had adult chat and they were tired when they got home so chilled a bit.

With regard to the food tell your husband he is a shite parent for giving chocolate to his kids. Then give them pasta/banana/apple/bread/chicken - whatever. you can add in more interesting foods later.

Runnerinthenight · 25/04/2024 00:47

I think you have a husband problem rather than a child problem.

thebestinterest · 25/04/2024 00:53

Op, you must share your calm. If they are crying or fighting, you must try to just be okay with letting them have that cry. It’s okay.

Get yourself some really good earplugs and know that if they are being loud, that this isn’t dangerous to them, so there’s no reason to be yelling at them to stop yelling. Whenever you feel rage, close your eyes and breathe and remind yourself that you have to be and share calmness.

As for the food… you’ve spoiled them and conditioned them to be the picky eaters that they are. If you want them to eat the family meal, you must serve the family meal and only the family meal. If you want them to eat take out, you must serve the take out and only the takeout.

If they refuse to eat, know that missing one or two, or even three meals won’t kill them. In other words, they will not starve. They will realize that they must eat what is being served.

I give this advice as a gentle parent!

Good luck X

EconomyClassRockstar · 25/04/2024 01:04

OP, all your posts are making me want to cry. You sound so desperate. The thing is your issue isn't your children, they're just being kids and other posters have given great advice how to help with that. The issue IS your DH and if you keep thinking/saying he won't change, then he will never have to. You need to tell him that you have (even briefly) considered jumping out a window and he HAS to step up or get counseling or SOMETHING to help you all get out of this cycle. And if he won't, then you know where you stand and you can work out what you want to do with that.

I promise, being a parent can be so much better than this.

5YearsLeft · 25/04/2024 01:38

ithinkineehelp · 22/04/2024 15:33

yes I have. they have no medical issues, they eat brilliantly at nursery/school and at childcare. It's only on the weekend, if I give them the exact same food they will refuse and throw a tantrum. I think its partially because they arent hungry because DH keeps giving them snacks to shut them up

Then maybe you have your answer. Instead of you fucking off for the weekend, DH needs to fuck off for the weekend so you can see if it actually runs more smoothly without him.

OR on Friday, you can either say: 1. “right, since you’re overwhelmed by the children, I’m handling them both, you feed them NOTHING, and you handle the housework,” or, 2. Hand him one child and say, “This one is yours for the weekend. Care take how ever you like I’m handling the other one. Do NOT feed snacks to the child I’m taking care of. And here is your list of half the household tasks.”

If you really can’t do either of those then yes, you need to tell him to fuck off for a weekend.

JG4 · 25/04/2024 01:45

ithinkineehelp · 22/04/2024 10:57

I need to rant as I can’t take it any more. I HATE weekends, to the point that it makes me question why I ever became a mother. I have two boys 5 yo and 3.5 yo. I WANT to enjoy them but they are too much!!! From the moment they wake up (7ish) to the time they go to bed (8ish) they just want want want. It’s constant!! They keep doing their own things, they scream ALL DAY they whine about everything and they whole vibe at home is so negative.
I shout so much and I become a person I hate, but I feel that I am so sick of this whole motherhood thing. I am so overwhelmed and overtouched and overtalked. I can’t do anything I like or eat anything I like. They won’t eat anything, they won’t watch tv not even for 5 minutes, if they play together they pull all the toys down and make a mess and then they fight over one toy. I have to constantly be on top of them. I have zero down time or any time to catch up on any housework or anything else that's not kids related. My husband is useless so everything is on me (story for another thread, please dont fixate on this!!!).
I also have to batch cook for the coming days (we both work full time), sort out all the weekend meals (my kids won’t eat take out or anything from a restaurant) but then they won’t eat anything anyway. I might need to pop to the shops but if I take one of the kids with me I end up yelling or too annoyed at them. We take them out to parks and stuff but they soon get hungry, won't eat anything and then they are miserable. I love them to bits and I want to enjoy them but I can’t!!! They are too much along with everything else I need to do!! I hate my life and I wish I could just leave or jump out a window sometimes... Everyone keep telling me that I am still in the trenches but honestly when will it get easier?? I just need them to eat the food I make them and watch TV without talking to me for an hour! Is it too much to ask??

I am very sorry that you are feeling so overwhelmed, all I can say is that it does get easier as they get older . Could you maybe have a regular day time baby sitter at the weekend ? Even just 2 or 3 hours so that you can have some time to yourself ? I used to go to the cinema by myself, sometimes, when my children were young , it was bliss , nothing to do but just sit there and enjoy the movie .

Lassiata · 25/04/2024 02:28

If they're eating well mon-fri at nursery and school, just put out anything they'll eat and let them graze. Anything.

I know I shouldn't say this but.....video games?

6 and 4.5 were very different ages from 5 and 3.5 in this house, massive jumps in maturity. This isn't forever.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 25/04/2024 02:30

You are still in the trenches. It will get better. It won’t happen overnight.

That said, there are a lot of things you can do to make things a little bit easier for yourself now.

You have said that the children are well behaved and eat well at school. That suggests that that changing your behaviour might have an impact on theirs. But also take comfort in the fact that kids act out with the people they love and trust.

Nutrition
I understand your concerns. Really, I do! I hate meal planning for my DC. But…if they eat well at school 5 days a week, they are getting good nutrition. So don’t worry about that.

But you can still make improvements at home. List what will eat without argument. Really, list it. Stick it on the fridge. Refer to it when you need inspiration. Always have those foods in. Don’t worry about ‘meals’ per se. Give them random picky bits if that is what it takes to get them to eat something.

If it bothers you that DH gives them sweet treat, stop buying them. It does sound like you do the grocery shopping and not him so that should be easy to do. Do get other snacks that you are happy with whether that is plain crackers, cheese or fruit. Put them all together in one place. Both the kids and DH will know that is where to go for snacks so your DH doesn’t screw up give them other stuff. They can have ice cream etc as a treat when they go out (or rewears for good behaviour). Also, there is nothing wrong with frozen pizza once a week if it makes your life easier.

If they don’t eat, don’t worry. They are eating well at school so they won’t starve. You just need to get enough food in them to prevent them getting Hangry. So either give them what they will eat or give them what you want them to eat and accept you are going to have a shitty few days until they eat what you give them or go back to school.

Attention
It is fucking exhausting. I get it. Here is the shit bit - you have to put the kids first. They need your attention before you can pay attention to yourself. And it sucks because you know you would be a better parent if you could get yourself sorted out first but you just don’t have the time.

Somebody else suggested love bombing the kids. It is a good idea. Give them loads of attention. Overwhelm them with it. Accept that everything else is on the back burner for a week or two. And then start putting in some time for yourself. Give the kids a heads up about this - I’ll play for twenty minutes but then I have to do whatever. And then prepare them for briefly losing your attention - five more minutes and them I have to do whatever. And when you leave - you keep going with this and I’ll be back in 5 minutes.

Your DH
He sounds a bit crap. As a PP mentioned, a lot of women find it easier to be a single parent than a married to a shit husband parent. It means you have one less person to worry about, you have one less person screwing up your plans, and you have a small chance of every other weekend off duty.

You
Your posts have a lot of ‘I can’t because…’ in them. Actually, you can. You just don’t want to because it is going to be difficult.
And that is actually ok. If you don’t want to try everything suggested here, you don’t have to. But there is no easy fix for your situation.
You need to choose to either accept things as they are semi permanently (until the kids are older and you are out of the trenches) or accept a couple of weeks of shittiness and exhaustion and consequences and behaviour management and consistency and routine in order to change the children’s behaviour at home.

Remember - they can behave themselves in a school setting so they can’t be all that bad and they can learn the same behaviour at home.

ILikeBakeryStuff · 25/04/2024 03:25

I hear you. I hate weekends and public holidays too. I have a beautiful DD (1.5 years) and I love being mum but it’s hard work all the time. I was so happy to return to work TBH! DD goes to daycare while DH and I work and outside of that no breaks. I take her out all the time and am exhausted everyday from endless outings. DH also parents but I definitely shoulder the load for childcare and housework.

I miss relaxing like my childless siblings and doing what I want like sleep in or go out to breakfast. Watch a movie or have a nap.

No help either. Both parents and in laws don’t help. We never even had anyone offer to come over for an hour. No one is that far away either.

It feels like forever at the moment with no me time and all baby time. Every day feels like a week. I feel like I’m stuck in a cycle of the same thing. I’m hoping time hasn’t stopped (I swear it has).

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