Please tell me I'm not the only one who wants to sell her dcs after only a week of hols?

[AllWindy]

Aaaaaarrrggghhhh!

How stupid am I? I was actually looking forward to the holidays, not having to get up early, not rushing around all the time.

Well....I am eating my words, let me tell you. DD1(8) is being a grumpy, contrary brat, snapping at her siblings and me. DS(6) hasn't stopped talking for about a week, and DD2(3) is trying to play with the older ones but annoying them so asking me for food every 5 mins instead. This is the first summer she has been able to use her newly-acquired arguing skills to full effect.

This week we have been to soft play once, museum once, and done lots of free stuff like parks, craft, walks, only necessary shopping. I don't have the money or energy to do more but every time I leave them to play we have World War 3 within 5 minutes.

It's like they have regressed. DD1 is telling tales the whole time, which I last remember her doing when she was about 5, and DS is screaming every time he can't have exactly what he wants or if I tell him to do something normal like eat his veggies.

Please tell me it's not only me!

It's not only you. They seem to turn into horrible ungreatful little bratz during the holidays.

Telling me! Today DS asked for a fizzy drink from a vending machine about 2 minutes after he'd had an ice cream!

I was ready to give mine away after 2 days!

But I think a lot of the grumpiness etc is just tiredness and overexcitement from the end of term, and they are also re-establishing a 'home' routine (my FIL, a nutty psychologist, says its like wolf cubs establishing territory after they have been out all day!).

Mine calmed down a lot towards the end of the week, and this week my parents have had them all week! (!!!!) so I am sure I will be back to the grumping tomorrow, though we are away ourselves from Monday so that should help!

I always have a jobs rota in the holidays - helping with washing, table setting and clearing, feeding the guinea pig etc and treats are dependent on helpng.

And the old divide and conquer seems to work well!

Mine are similar ages to you, 9, 7 and 5.

When one is in a good mood the other(s) are being awful.

And don't get me started on 'I'm bored . . . ' because I already use my dad's 'Only boring people are bored' far too much.

If they tell me they are bored I ask them if I should give them a job to do, maybe picking up all the toys or bringing in the washing!

Like the idea of a jobs rota. Sits well with my lazy parenting philosophy.

Seriously, I've heard myself several times this week doing the speech I said I would never do, you know, the "stop being so ungrateful, I've done so many nice things for you" etc etc.

The first week is always the first - they might settle down.

If you're serious about selling them, you might want to revise your advert a bit

My gran always said "if you can't think of anything to do, do something for someone else," and suggest we tidied up or hung out the washing.

Then we would suddenly remember how great our lego was.

When DD says she is bored I say: "in an infinite universe full of wonder, and you're BORED?!"