Tag: tantrums

Children, Families, Family Life, Food, Large Families

The Pain Of Advent Calendars 

by thejoyoffive6 Comments on The Pain Of Advent Calendars 

  
This year for me has been the same as ever.  The 30th November come around and panic sets in as I’ve forgotten the advent calendars once again!

For weeks before I have walked passed them with the children asking for them and me refusing as its to early.  This is due to the fact that I have no willpower when it comes to chocolate and will eat the contents before the kids get a look in.

After trawling the supermarkets I always end up with grabbing whatever is left and always upsetting one of them for not being able to get the one they had requested.

The largest of all dramas though is saved for 1st December itself.  The older ones just relish the fact they are allowed to have chocolate before school and happily find the first door to open.  It is a completely different story for the youngest two!

Number five who is not yet two had a beautiful beaming smile as I opened up his Peppa Pig calendar.  He sat and happily ate his chocolate until he realised it had been put back onto the shelf; at which point wenthen had the screeches of “more chocolate” for the next thirty minutes.  Number four was a little sneakier about the whole situation and chose to scour the worktops whist I wasn’t looking and sneak the calendar into his bedroom and eat the entire contents!

  
Roll on day two where number five will undoubtedly cause the same comotion and number four will fall straight into meltdown mode as he realises he has no calendar.  I think I will take the advent books option next year.

Children, Families, Family Life, Parents

I Want One!! 

by thejoyoffive4 Comments on I Want One!! 

Something that brings me out in a hot sweat with just the thought of it is shopping with kids.  I try to do my shopping online but unfortunately there is the odd occasion I have to brave the the shops with the kids in tow.

We had a last minute dash to get a birthday present this week which to be honest went well until we hit the dreaded till point!

Narrow walkways with shiny object to pull at, shelving to pull down and hundreds of sweets to ask for.  The two minute queue felt like hours, number four had a melt down on the refusal of a Spider-Man electric toothbrush whist ramming the buggy into the unsympathetic woman in front. Number five was trying his Mission Impossible moves to free himself from the buggy to devour any chocolate item he could get his hand on.  

Trying to block out my screaming children and disapproving looks we make it to the till point. The ‘sorry for the wait’ really didn’t cut it today and I would like to challange any store manager to queue with my youngest two to see if these ‘impulse buy’ till point displays are in the least bit pleasing for parents!!

Behavioural Problems, Children, Families, Family Life, Parents, Sons

Not So Smug Anymore!

by thejoyoffive10 Comments on Not So Smug Anymore!

  

After a day filled with meltdowns over magazines, tantrums about the wrong colour grapes and cleaning up a pot plant that had been launched across the bathroom I sat back tonight and reflected on all those sideways, judgemental looks I have thrown to other parents over the years.

With my first three I will now openly admit that I was a super smug Mum. They were far from perfect as no child is but with a stern talking to or one of those looks only a Mother could give they would more than normally fall into line and do as they were told.

I would get remarks from people on how polite and well behaved my children were.  There was in fact one occasion when a stranger came over to let me know what a well mannered child number three was.

I would sit at soft play areas and chat with friends while the children all happily played.  We could go to the park and I would know they could wander around happily safe in the knowledge they would never be to far from my side.  A meal out was always a good experience as long as we didn’t drag it out for to long.

I would see a child throwing a tantrum and would throw the mother a judgemental look and wonder why she was allowing this to happen, I would watch programs like Super Nanny and would be astounded as to how people could let their children behave in such a way and then number four came along!

 This little bundle of joy completly turned my world upside down in more ways than one.

I became that mother that got a look as we walked into toddler group, people stop and stare as he screams and hits out in the middle of a shopping centre, I am continually on edge when we are in the playground as I never know what his next move will be.  My home has become a destruction zone of ripped wall paper and discarded toys.

He is the only one that has resorted me to tears, I’ve had so many trips to the health visitor for help I have lost count, I’ve dragged him kicking and screaming from soft play areas with silenced crowds staring at me.

I now wish I could turn the clocks back and offer a sympathetic look or reach out a much needed hand to all those mothers I have judged in the past.  It just goes to show that no matter how you bring your children up and what coping mechanisms you put in place life can always throw you a curve ball that completly messes with all your best laid plans.

His character makes him the little boy he is but boy had he been a challange!
  

Children, Families, Family Life, Farms, Flowers, Garden Centres, Outdoor Play, Photography, Surrey, Wicked Wednesday

Wicked Wednesday’s:No More Photos

by thejoyoffive2 Comments on Wicked Wednesday’s:No More Photos

When we turned up to Priory Farm in Nutfield the other day I was so exited to see the field full of sunflowers.  I knew I was going to have loads of great photo opurtunities, well that’s what I thought as number five was not so keen on the idea!


Blogging, Children, Families, Family Life, Large Families, Parents

The Witching Hours Of Bath And Bedtime

by thejoyoffive14 Comments on The Witching Hours Of Bath And Bedtime

  
Between the hours of around six to eight in this house there is a complete meltdown and the children all turn into tantruming, moany demons.

It starts with mealtime.  The older ones switch to “Kevin and Perry ” mode and look at their meal like I have served up pond water whilst the younger ones cover every available surface with theirs.

Once I have bribed them to eat what I can then comes the painstaking process of trying to clean the bomb site of the kitchen whist trying to brake  up several argument that are being caused by over tired, ratty children.

Next on the agenda is bathtime.  The youngest ones will generally flood the entire bathroom every evening and then whale like mad when it’s time to get dressed.  Followed by a night long battle to get my water phobic teenagers anywhere near a bar of soap!

Bedtime begins with the older ones trying every trick in the book to get to stay up that little bit longer.  They all of a sudden become wonderfully helpful children that offer to do any chores they can think of to get a few minutes more downstairs.  Number three’s favourite is to bribe me with a foot rub, which to be honest normally works.  It’s a constant stream of running up and down the stairs with the youngest two with the usual screaming, crying, toilet and water requests.

After my blood pressure had shot through the roof and I’ve sprouted a few more grey hairs, I look at their little faces all calm and peaceful and all is forgiven until tomorrow night!