5 and 8 year old are like animals

[Anonymous]

Just ending a week of spring break, the longest week of my life. I have those kind of boys that just move constantly, speeding by me or throwing a ball at something, never walking and always running. I feel like my nervous system is shot after spending an entire week with them. I can't even get my kids into time out when they do something wrong because they run away so fast and I can't catch them. The 8 year old just peed in the front walkway to the house instead of using the toilet. When they do use the toilet there's urine everywhere. Everything is a butt cheek joke or poop. I look longingly at those people with kids who are calm and clean up after themselves, or can go to a store with them without running around like lunatics, or who can sit and say, do art or play chess. Currently writing this locked in my room for five minutes of a break before I hassle them to put on their pajamas which is an entire uphill battle.

[Anonymous]

Put on a movie or 2 in the afternoons to give yourself a break.

[Anonymous]

Were they disciplined at all when they were younger?

[Anonymous]

1. How much sugar and artificial dyes are they having?
2. How much screen time are they getting?

I'd cut these both down to zero (allowing for natural sugars) and see where that gets me. Also, I'd let them know starting tomorrow whoever makes the bathroom a mess has to clean it up and is not allowed to do anything else until they do that. Whoever gets to a full week without needing to clean up bathroom mess gets to pick what's for dinner. Enforce the hell out of that.

Any time they make bathroom jokes, they have to stop what they're doing and go to the bathroom. Teach them it's unacceptable to speak this way.

Reverse psychology changing clothes "I bet you can't change into your pjs and put your dirty clothes in the hamper in less than 2 minutes. There's no way you can be that fast. I'll time you - GO!"

[Anonymous]

The potty humor is the least of your problems.

Set boundaries and enforce them. My 5 and 8 yo boys love potty humor too but I have disciplined them enough that they wouldn't dare pee all over something. They would be swiftly punished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just ending a week of spring break, the longest week of my life. I have those kind of boys that just move constantly, speeding by me or throwing a ball at something, never walking and always running. I feel like my nervous system is shot after spending an entire week with them. I can't even get my kids into time out when they do something wrong because they run away so fast and I can't catch them. The 8 year old just peed in the front walkway to the house instead of using the toilet. When they do use the toilet there's urine everywhere. Everything is a butt cheek joke or poop. I look longingly at those people with kids who are calm and clean up after themselves, or can go to a store with them without running around like lunatics, or who can sit and say, do art or play chess. Currently writing this locked in my room for five minutes of a break before I hassle them to put on their pajamas which is an entire uphill battle.

Sounds like they need to be outside running in the park. At this age I had to take my wild boy who was merely acting like a boy to cabin John park for hours a day. He would run and swing and slide much longer than I would like. There is no way he would sit and play cheese. Kids also need structure on break. A schedule. Parent the kids you have not the ones you want to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just ending a week of spring break, the longest week of my life. I have those kind of boys that just move constantly, speeding by me or throwing a ball at something, never walking and always running. I feel like my nervous system is shot after spending an entire week with them. I can't even get my kids into time out when they do something wrong because they run away so fast and I can't catch them. The 8 year old just peed in the front walkway to the house instead of using the toilet. When they do use the toilet there's urine everywhere. Everything is a butt cheek joke or poop. I look longingly at those people with kids who are calm and clean up after themselves, or can go to a store with them without running around like lunatics, or who can sit and say, do art or play chess. Currently writing this locked in my room for five minutes of a break before I hassle them to put on their pajamas which is an entire uphill battle.

Sounds like they need to be outside running in the park. At this age I had to take my wild boy who was merely acting like a boy to cabin John park for hours a day. He would run and swing and slide much longer than I would like. There is no way he would sit and play cheese. Kids also need structure on break. A schedule. Parent the kids you have not the ones you want to have.

Pp. also kids can sense your energy. If they know you are about to lose it and that you’re freaked out it can fuel them. Don’t have them for an entire week next time if you can help it. Let them go to aftercare or day care for half a day for 3 days or have a sitter come in then to help so you can take a break.

[Anonymous]

You need to get this under control now or it will get much worse. Thats not normal.

[Anonymous]

You need a break for your whole system. I know you realize that but make it your first task, even if it's just putting it on the schedule. If you can't have it now at least you can look forward to it.

[Anonymous]

I have two boys similar ages and essentially just have to severely limit the amount of time I spend alone with them simultaneously. The 7 year old is sweet and easy going in a one on one situation. The 5 year old is less predictable and harder but manageable one on one.

I have never, and at this point, would never sign up to be alone with them for a week. Even if DH were around in the evenings. No way do I want to be alone with both boys for 10 hours a day, 5 days in a row.

My kids are kind of like dogs and have to be run for multiple hours a day. And it’s still overwhelming and kind of miserable.

The 5 yo has severe ADHD but the 7 yo has no SN.

Hang in there, OP! One of my challenges was my kids were so unbelievably hard as babies and toddlers and I told myself we would have turned the corner by now. But we haven’t really. It’s still excruciatingly hard. I often wish we’d just stuck with 1, but here we are.

[Anonymous]

Unless your children are special needs, you need to get a handle on this. Parenting class would help. My 2 sons are 17 months apart and were pretty active. Structure, routine, repeat.

[Anonymous]

Wow OP. The fact you can’t put them in time out because they run away says a lot. 8 is really too old for time out. Take screens away. Give consequences.
This age is energetic, give them physical outlets for that outside but set expectations for indoor behavior. Change this now or you will not enjoy your children which is sad

[Anonymous]

Oh hellllll no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh hellllll no.

Me again. Why are you an active bystander? You need to parent. Figure out their currency and use it.

[Anonymous]

I have similar ages one boy and one girl but my daughter has severe ADHD. They are both amazing individuals but a really tough combination together.

We did parent management training a couple years ago and it was so helpful for us. My kids also would not go/stay in time out and we tried so many things. This positive but very firm discipline system works really well for us.

Agree with all the other advice to run them around and take breaks but I just wanted to share what helped us. Oh and splitting them up as much as possible- the energy level is exponentially larger when they are together.