How to feel calmer around bedtime?

[Anonymous]

I know this feeling well. Mine are 2 and 5 and the 5 year old is a hard kid who gets even harder when he is tired at the end of the day. Mornings used to be the awful time with him... so many battles trying to get out the door. I remember getting to work feeling like I needed to scream and/or cry because I had this pent up rage that had nowhere to go.

I wish I had advice but I don't really. It's been helpful to see the responses. Solidarity OP.

[Anonymous]

Is your 6yo in school? Can the 3yo go into some kind of play group or preschool for part of the day? All day every day togetherness can be tough if you need a certain amount of alone time to feel your best.

Also, I’m another vote for considering an earlier bedtime. Wound up kids in the evening can be a sign of over tiredness, and if you’re overtired too that’s a recipe for frustration. In my dd’s case, her bedtime was (well, still is) a lot earlier than her friends, but she really seems to feel and act better when she has more rest. At 6 mine still needed 12 hours.

[Anonymous]

I have found that our evening goes better if DD showers earlier than she needs to then comes back downstairs. Then when its actualy bedtime, its just teeth, books and bed, Its relaxing and and end to the day. If Im trying to do shower, jammies, then teeth books bed all in one go it never goes as well because she plays around and like you it makes me lose patience.

[Anonymous]

Are you trying to do too much within a given amount of time? Post your general schedule and you will get some input. Keep in mind that you are all so much more tired at the end of the day and this can make you snap.

[Anonymous]

Why do you want to not feel your emotions? Give yourself permission to feel things. Trying to bottle it up or pretend your feelings don’t exist is not healthy for you or a good example to set for your kids. It’s ok to be tired and frustrated at the end of the day. You’re human and your kids are human and y’all are gonna drive each other crazy sometimes. Maybe even a lot of times. This has no bearing on how much you love them.
Accept and embrace your emotions as valid and real and maybe when you stop fighting them you’ll find things are easier to cope with.

[Anonymous]

We have 6 year old twins and I also find my patience is thin by bedtime. We do bath earlier in the evening (and not always every night), so at bedtime it’s just potty, brush teeth, read a quick book, then bed.