I am battling with the older kids at the moment.
I am finding them rather unlikeable to be honest and have come to dread the afternoons.
Yesterday afternoon was particularly fun. I am still feeling horrid – this flu is vicious :-/ We sit down to do homework and Kiara takes out a ruler – Cameron swears that is HIS ruler and he NEEDS one for some or other assessment today. I threaten and they move on. Kiara then gets a pen – OF COURSE Cameron says that’s his pen but senses I am getting tense so goes off and finds another pen. OF COURSE Kiara then says “THAT’S MY PEN!!!!!!!!!!!!” – I rather forcefully tell them both to STOP their nonsense and do their homework – the ignore me (OF COURSE) and I end up sending Cameron to my study to do his homework.
Kiara has now crossed over and has thrown the pen into the toy area and is busy writing her teacher a note to explain why she didn’t do her homework with pen. When I ask WHY can’t she do it with the pen she has – apparently the pen Cameron has is way better than the one she has so she can’t write neatly with it and HAS to use a blue pencil crayon.
The whole time this is going on Cameron is chirping from the study “Mom did you know the mediterranean ocean is interesting” and “Mom I am sure Jack would like the Dead Sea”
I really did try holding it together but alas when Cameron started telling some random fact about the Pacific Ocean and Kiara was tapping her pencil crayon trying to draw 8 groups of 14 – I shouted and may even have sworn because honestly there is just so much crap one person can take from CHILDREN!!!!
Cameron then has to throw in some tears because he doesn’t know what “weather” to study because there is one whole page of weather and how can his teacher expect him to study it ALL.
Seriously?? SERIOUSLY!!!!
This is what happens in my house every single afternoon.
WHAT am I doing wrong? How did my kids get to this point? I spend the entire afternoon with them doing their homework – they have my undivided attention. David and I are happy and for the first time in years they have a stable secure home. SO WHY do I feel like I am raising 2 delinquents?
Oh and in case anyone was wondering where Jack was – he was climbing in the table dancing and pushing the buttons on the xBox and DVD machine!
8 Responses
Is there not something wrong at school perhaps, that they are not mentioning to you? Something with their friends?
Sounds so hectic with those two of you – perhaps this is some sibling rivalry. They are growing up and perhaps they don’t share the same interests anymore. Becoming more and more different? There must be something.
Hugs
Laura, maybe they are adjusting to everything? I know everything is better, but it still is an adjustment? But regardless of all, it does sound very familiar, although ona different level. C and A are going at each other ALL THE TIME! I have summized that it is a peronality thing but also that they both want my attention to them ALONE. That seems to work, but I can hardly do it because time to one alone meens the others do not have anyone watching over them (like Jack) Sigh. You have my simpathy. Maybe you have some advice for me on my post today? Cameron sounds like the same type of kid as my A?
SERIOUSLY! sounds similar to our house.
I have two seperate pencil cases for each child at home. If they still fight, then I threaten to write in their homework books that homework cant be done, because they cant look after their pens and pencils. So far this is working.
Also, if you work in the study it’s like working in the library – it must be done quietly.
Give Jack a ping pong ball to chase across the floor while you’r busy with the older ones?
They are probably acting up – because things are more calmer and stabler – they dont have to keep it together anymore -KWIM?
Good luck!!(Sorry for the long post)
My sympathies! I hear it is like that in every household with siblings!
I don’t have any advice, but I know it would have made me a screaming witch as well 😉
Here at home I made all the stationery (except mine – in my study) strictly COMMUNAL. As in – it’s not *yours* or *mine* but *for the house*. I have also started creating a ‘home work’ area for the kids off the kitchen. Basically I *pretend in my own head* that I need a space for homeschooling – (which of course – oh dear god my sanity would never last long enough for) and then create accordingly. So all the stationery, reading books and place to sit and do homework is all together. So far so good.
As for your kids being the only ones? *giggle* kids will wind you up JUST when you think they shouldn’t be. I swear it’s like they have some kind of “mom-o-meter” and when it’s about to boil over – is when they start playing up. Go make tea, look after the bubs and ignore the older ones. A few minutes of ignoring and they might realise that without your help, they’re in trouble 🙂
I can totally relate to this post today. My day always seems to get worse when I get home, they really know how to put me into the worse mood and every night I go to bed feeling guilty about it :-/
I read a blog the other day where the mother said “why can’t we start with bedtime in the morning?” it’s like we’re expected to be all sweet and loving at the worst time of the day.
Bedtime/ late afternoon/ all the same thing.
I also giggled, mainly because I’m glad I’m not the only one with a short fuse.
My kids fight over things too so I label EVERYTHING with a black permanent marker, C and K. And I want no fighting. Seriously, they each have pencils (nice fat ones) and pencil crayons – ALL labelled. Because I got tired of “CONNOR!! That’s my pencil” and similar. And mine are 3.
What are their love languages? (if you want to toss a tomato at me, I understand but I really need to write a love languages post soon!)