What do you do with your reception children after school

[TheEveningSun]

My DS (4.5) started reception on Wednesday, straight in full time 8.15-3.30, he does couple of after school clubs till 4 o’clock. He’s so tired and emotional after school. I take him to the park for a bit but if we stay at home He demands the TV. I try to do things with him and play but he just ends up crying or fighting with his sister (2yo) or asks about the tv every 15 min.
I’m happy for him to watch for an hour whilst I’m cooking dinner but watching till bed time (7pm) is too much imo.
What’s your after school routine if you’re home by 4 o’clock?

Honestly don't overthink it. I let my little boy bug hide things as he's been shattered. Tv and snack ok, iPad ok, then often he will venture and want to build a puzzle or play but I let him decide as I can see he needs his downtime.

It actually surprised me they watch tv at the end of the day at school. So if he has couple of hours at home as well it’s a lot. Yes they’re busy at school too but I also don’t agreed that the tv should be the only form of downtime.

Mine were allowed to watch tv for around 45min to an hour.
They played with bricks, Lego, did some reading.
Dinner, bath, bed.

These first few weeks can be a complete car crash as they are just so exhausted. I was really taken aback by DC1 who was old for her year, been at nursery full time, already reading & counting as I thought school would be a breeze.
No! Our routine until about Oct HT was

• snack at pick up
• another snack as soon as we got in
• TV
• tea at about 4.45
• bath at 5pm

and then we'd see how she was doing. Sometimes it was downstairs to play but often it was just downstairs for stories or even straight to bed for stories. She was regularly asleep by 6pm when, before starting school, it had been 7.30. We just had to condense everything. And then it was really odd as DC1 was in bed fast asleep and toddler DC2 was naturally still wide awake. He was just as bad a couple of years later except for he added a couple of major tantrums to the mix to

DD usually goes to bed at 7 (probably more like asleep by 7.30), but she has been needing extra sleep. We moved bedtime to 6 and she has been falling asleep easily and staying asleep until normal wake up time (7). She had some TV after school yesterday, then today wanted to do baking which I thought was fairly chill. I wouldn't be going to the park yet.

Same DS has been asleep by 6 these first few days. .

Mines only at pre school but we get in at about 3.15 after he's been there 8.45-3pm. He's nearly 4.

I let him decide what to do when we get home. He might want to play a little but if he asks for the TV, I pop it on and sit with him. It's a nice way of him relaxing back into being at home and us being back together.

After a while he's ready to play again so tv goes off. If it's a sunny day we'll go straight into the garden with an ice lolly, have tea there and only come in at bath time!

I think the issue is that the kids do have too much screen time nowadays. I just feel that it’s becoming like that in my house so I’m asking what people do instead. I’m happy with an 1-1.5 per day. I had no tv time as a child so my downtime was playing. It seems like for some people tv is the only “downtime” option which is fine if that’s what they want to do. I feel bad for letting him watch too much and I feel bad for fighting him when I refuse the tv as he’s had a long day at school so I justify give in. Hopefully my DS adjusts to school week after few weeks and the evenings won’t be so dramatic.

Tv
Dinner
Playtime/outside run around
Bed

He should probably go to bed earlier to be honest

I would say if he moans, then NO TV during weekdays and mean it. the kids that i know with no screen time seem to moan the least. I think it's due to knowing their parents will set firm boundaries (rather than the screen time itself)