Children completely feral after nursery

[Aloadoftwigs]

Uncontrollable, shouting, running around and jumping off things. It’s embarrassing.

I just don’t get it at all, why aren’t they tired!?

That's a shame, mine went on their ipads to relax. I'm not sure why they have so much energy OP, I wonder if nursery don't have enough active stuff going on? It sounds hard for you

Oh god my son was like this at 4-6! Full on meltdowns in the playground at pick up as well, screaming all the way to the car etc.

what he needed: food, a sugary drink (like squash), a bath to calm him down. Then downstairs to play with sensory things like play dough, water, bowl of rice with a scoop and stuff hidden in it. Perhaps make a den. Nothing in any way difficult or that could go wrong or he would meltdown again. Sometimes he liked helping me do things like washing up (would play for ages in the soapy water), water plants, sweep, hoover (give them hoover without the end on for sucking up targeted little bits of dirt, with the end on it’s too cumbersome).

but the bath was key. Once i put it before everything else instead of after it, it was a game changer.

in summer all the sensory things get replaced with outdoor stuff like going on the swing, sprinkler, trampoline etc

but the bath was key. Once i put it before everything else instead of after it, it was a game changer.

I was going to suggest this too. Sounds like they're doing long days at nursery if it's too dark for the park. They sound over tired. I live in Scotland and it's still light enough for the park when I pick my son up at 3:30 so we do that for an hour if dry (ish!) then come home, dinner, bath, short play and bed at 7pm.

I'd get a snack and drink in them straight away then in for a bath to help ground them. Then easy dinner and leave them to play. Maybe set the environment up to be a bit more calming. Dim lights, soft music playing etc.

Over tiered children are hyper they can't stop and wind down. They need a calming routine. This is why so many people end up with kids running riot all evening.

People send the kids they can’t cope with to nursery so r learning bad behaviour, that’s y theorist advice homebased childcare.

This.

It has been a phase that has kicked in over the last few weeks and is driving me crazy. My younger one isn’t generally too bad but she copies her brother and gets hyped up. sigh. I am hoping school will be better, but perhaps not.

Sounds like nursery could be overstimulating for your DS. No idea what to suggest but would having a nap after arriving home help at all or would that keep him up past his bedtime later on?

My 3.5yo is like this and with her it's definitely overtired. She has dropped her nap at nursery but not at home and will do a 2.5hr nap on a Sat and Sun sometimes. I basically keep everything very tight and routine driven between getting home and getting into bed, which helps. Plus a stodgy snack like porridge when she gets home at 5.30pm ish, as nursery tea is at 4pm.

I found age 4 extremely difficult with regards to behaviour and emotional regulation. We just had to ride it out. Ages 3-5 were a bit of a shitshow if I'm honest. It's tough! I found it extra difficult because it's expected at 2 but I'd never heard of problems at 4 so I felt like I was doing something wrong and that it would never improve. It did. Hang in there.

Totally agree. Everyone prepares you for the terrible twos but no one lets you know it doesn’t end until they are about 6…my youngest is 5 and I still very much struggle with his behaviour despite having gone through it with his older brother. Middle sister not so much. It’s tough. Hang in there. By 7 they are usually v different. I know that’s quite depressing to read though when he is only 4 :(

They ARE tired.

That's why they are uncontrollable, shouting, running around and jumping off things.

Put them to bed. Make sure they get more sleep.