6-8 year old parenting club birthday partys, homework and extracurricular decisions

[2in2022twoyearson]

Hi,
Anyone want to join me navigating this age of parenting? Children could be outside this age bracket.

There's lots of baby toddler advice groups and some teen groups but this age I feel a bit in the dark.

I have a soon to be 7 year old girl. She's amazing, loves school, but I often feel like I'm doing or saying the wrong thing to and with her. She's going through a stroppy stage, finds school tiring.

Me and her dad work a lot and we haven't signed her up to many extra curriculum clubs, some of her peers have done loads since reception.

We're planning her birthday party and she has lots of opinions about it, I'm feeling the pressure!

Yes, with the clothes. Trousers are often too loose for my little 3 year old ds, even clothes half his age are baggy. Also varies a lot shop to shop.

Merry Christmas everyone. DD opened her dementia cat and said 'awww, this is all I've ever wanted.' and the cat hasn't left her side since. We've had a small quiet Christmas but she's still been very excited, effected her sleep.

Aww that's sweet. DS got cat earmuffs and he's barely taken them off since, he loves them so much.

Omg I have a teenager this morning. I told her last night we're going to the farm today on her inset day with her best friend and end cousin (her age). She was happy but this morning I'm getting bad attitude (with attitude talking about warm clothes to wear 'why don't you understand, am I speaking a different language?,'then trying to steamroll little brothers toys and he objects 'why does noone understand me') I've sent her back to bed and I'll get breakfast ready for her. We still have a couple of hours until the farm opens.

Hi, how is everyone today? I've got much less teenagers and much more enthusiasm and chatter.

That's nice!

Had DS's parents evening today. His teacher is very pleased with his maths and language skills, well above grade level, especially reading, but she is concerned about him getting into fights, particularly with one friend. If they have one more fight then its the first rung of the punishment ladder, a behaviour conference with the children and parents, and that'll stay in his school record so want to avoid that. I've talked to him and he knows he should just walk away and tell a teacher but he doesn't manage to do that in the moment

Also saw the school doctor today, she had a look at his tonsils and agrees that they are massive and probably should be removed so she's referred him to the ENT. DS disagreed with her assessment

@Natsku how is the fighting? My DD was very tired and had an early night.

No fighting since parents evening so far, so fingers crossed its under control now.

Its soon DS's birthday, luckily I kept back some presents at Christmas so I'll give them for his birthday and save my money.

We kept back some presents too as we realised she had far more than her little brother who is mostly interested in trains, and DD had train toys when little. But DD birthday isn't until June. What are you doing to celebrate his birthday? A party?

Yeah he wants a party at the local party place - its an arcade place you hire out and then all the games are free, plus a ball pit and slide and climbing frame. Most kids in town seem to have their parties there, its very popular (and there isn't really anywhere else so its party at home or party at fun fun park)

We need to set some proper chores for DD. She's had some serious attitude this week, saying no to putting away her things.

I don't know what has got into her recently. This morning, she was behaving like a badly behaved 3 year old, in front of her 3 year old brother. Throwing cushions to get my attention shouting it's not fair. So I talked to her like a 3 year old, telling her she is making 'bad choices'. She just stared me down. She's often emotional in the morning but today she just seemed more in control of her emotions but playing up. I don't know how to deal with it tonight. Ignore it, put it down to her being tierd and 'feelings are communication', try and be more engaged and do fun activities with her, or remind her and give her some consequence.

What do you think. Having a visual these are your responsibilies/ house rules type thing?

DS has definitely been behaving like a toddler on occasion lately, its not pleasant.

Chores are a good idea, give her a sense of responsibility and that she's playing her part in the household, and a chart will make that much easier as she can see what she has to do and tick off/put a sticker or magnet or whatever to mark off when she's done her jobs. I ought to make a chart too because DS forgets to do his daily job (vacuuming the stairs with a little dustbuster type thing) often and I forget to remind him. But yesterday he tidied the whole house (as best he could) and vacuumed it all, because he wanted to get a reduction on his screen ban. He didn't do too bad a job.

Bless him with cleaning the house. They can do something when they really set their mind to it. My DD is not so bothered about screen time so a can't ban her from it. When she was 5 weeks did stop screens, because she only wanted paw patrol and I didn't like how it was making her act. Addicted to paw patrol. She just read. It was nice. She'll enjoy TV, fully focuses on it, but never begs for it. She loves reading but banning her from reading doesn't feel right!

Anyway, she was lovely this evening, so we didn't talk about this morning. She did do an extra good job bringing the bins in straight after school so, I think she remembered her behaviour and was being good in hope I wouldn't mention it. Proper mind games. 😂.She also loves her teacher and it seems like had a nice day at school.

We have a magnetic responsibility chart.

DD is doing an introduction to judo course from next week.

Oh that sounds fun! Hope she enjoys it

DS just had his birthday party - quite a bit of chaos but everyone had a good time. I made a whole bunch of sandwiches that no one ate, typical

Haha natska, glad everyone enjoyed it. My DD tries to make it her mission to eat as many sandwiches as possible at birthdays. At her 7th, it was a moment she cried for her when she was still eating, most children had got up to play so we wanted to do birthday cake, she wasn't ready.

She's not been to birthday parties for ages. I do remember seeing all the year group birthdays in reception and there weren't many winter ones. They've become less over time too. She's keen to do a smaller one with her one best friend for her 8th.....she wants a sleepover, but we're not on board. I've said no more talking about it until April (2 months before her birthday). At her best friends house he mentioned a sleepover. His mum was not keen either...turns out DD has been telling him it's happening...I think we'll cross that bridge later, but will think of a fun sleepover type party without the sleepover I think.

Yeah you can do a pyjama party, watch a film and eat popcorn and then he can get picked up.

How are you doing? DD is a little less teenagery after half term but still quite stroppy. She went to my parents in law with DH when I was walking and they pretended the fairy was there (a Lazer light) that my DD 100% believes. She wrote this cute letter. I'm partly think it's cute, but also a bit uncomfortable. Like at some point I'll have to explain to her that grandpa was shining a light because she's not even slightly suspicious. Maybe in a couple of years.. I got her the flower fairies book, try and nudge her from it being a reality to a lovely story.

That's a sweet belief. No need to tell her anything, she'll figure it out. My children believed/believe in the sauna tonttu and I will never admit its not real to them, they figure it out.

Its half term here and DS was very stroppy yesterday but he was probably tired as he had ice hockey camp half the day. My mum is visiting so we've been doing lots, we went skiing (cross country) at the weekend, went to a pop up bouncy castle event, DS had a hockey match day, and today we'll go skiing again.

Hi, I've not posted in a while. How are you (all or just Naksuku) doing. DD is really enjoying judo so we'll continue that as it's the last introductory session tomorrow.

Rudeness still pokes its head. As it's the last week of term, she's sometimes reluctant to get out of bed. However, with her own alarm clock she's better if left to it. Eg. Me telling her it's time to get up just pisses her off. Yesterday morning when ds was up early and being loud so complained 'ive only had 8 hours sleep.' so we agreed she'd have an early night. Then after school we were invited in to see artwork. But she didn't want to show me her self portrait. Allthough I said it's ok, she said it's horrible. And on the way home she hit me when I asked her about the self portrait. And also was rude about not wanting to throw her rubbish in the bin. Not hard, but unlike her I put a stop to it. It was an art day so they didn't have normal lessons. Allthough she said she was excited, I do think she appreciates routines. She's got upset about mufti days in the past.

Oh yes, and we had parents evening. She's still working at greater depth, which I think is something like the top 5-10%. And she's proud to be the first child to move up reading bands. But teacher has noticed she gets distracted when she's meant to be listening like playing with stationary or taking to friends, and thinks she's not challenged enough, allthough teacher is working on it. Also they had tests that were more formal than other years, eg timed. She didn't do so well in the maths, the teacher thought she could do better so got her to do it again and she got 100%.

I'm thinking we should do some sort of school work over the holidays but it will probably fly by.

Oh dear, the rudeness is difficult to handle. Glad she's enjoying Judo though. Hopefully she can get challenged a bit more in school so she won't get so distracted.

DS had his appointment with the ent at last. They are going to do surgery but they're just going to reduce the size of his tonsils rather than remove them altogether. Supposed to be less painful and less risky. Don't know when they'll do it, just that its supposed to be within the next 3 months but I hope sooner rather than later as we want to go on holiday in June. He had to have a blood test yesterday to check blood type and antigens in case he has to have a transfusion - I don't remember DD having that blood test when she had her tonsils out so seems like they're being extra careful with him for some reason.

Hi how are you? Still having friend issues? DD has just gone back to school after 2 weeks off. She was a bit meh about going back, wished holidays were longer. She went to a birthday party of a friend of hers where she's the only girl. Her best friends are boys, I think she wants to be friends with girls, eg in September decided she likes dresses for school and for a while has been anti football and Minecraft. But I think she can just play with boys more easily, because they're generally more physical. I realised recently her speech is quite unclear. I thought it was from loosing her frount teeth but they've grown in and she uses the th sound a lot for s. So maybe she has a lisp, I just haven't heard it as her mum. Teacher hasn't mentioned it, but some of her classmates are so clear and elequent. The birthday boy has more of a speech impediment.

There was an issue with a new girl in her class who outside school said hi to my DD to begin with. DD was upset because this girl kept saying to her I don't understand you. But she also said her drawing of an animal looked fat. DD took it all offensivly and didn't want to be partnered with her, but probably the other girl was trying to make new friends in a new school. I told the teacher, about what DD had said and they said they'd talk to them and keep them separate.

I don't know how it works there in regards to speech therapy but is there a chance to get her assessed? I'd encourage her to give the new girl a chance, hopefully it's just a bad first impression.

DS's friend issues seem to have calmed down now, which is good. He had his tonsil surgery last week (was very last minute, got a call the day before saying there had been a cancellation so they could fit us in the next day). Went really well, the pre meds made him very loopy which was funny to watch, if a bit unsettling, and he's recovering really well. I took 3 days off work to look after him and now my brother is taking care of him while I work and they're working on a very complicated marble run set.