OK - we have 6 kids total. They are ages 20, 18, 13, 11, 4 and 3. It is a his, hers and our respectfully - oldest 3 are his, 11 yo is mine and last two are ours. Only the youngest three are at home with us. I work part time evenings so I am home with the kids all day every day pretty much. I may get one day every week or two to run errands and the kids go to my folks'. The problem I am having is the two youngest ones are wearing me out. They bicker quite a bit, into everything and don't listen very well. When one misbehaves and I am reprimanding that one, the other wants or asks or needs something. I try to say "I'm talking to your sister, wait your turn" but I am only met with "but mommy" and a repeat of whatever it is they want. Soon it seems to snowball and I am feeling irritable and short tempered. By the time poor DH gets home I am fit to be tied. It only gets worse when the 11 yo comes home from school - then I am supervising homework, getting ready for work myself, working on supper and still trying to deal with the two little ones. Am I just stressed out? Alone in this? I feel inadequate that I can't seem to deal with things without stressing so much and I don't want my kids' childhood memories to be of me yelling at them.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kat

I know I said this on another post today. But I am swearing by 123 magic discipline. I borrowed it from the library the dvd. It is a God sent. I was to the point where I was thinking I was going to have to try spanking. You can go to the librarys web site and have them hold it for you to pick up. Instead of trying to search for it with kids in tote.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

I have this same problem with my 3 yr old ds and my 2 yr old grandson!!! Separately they are good kidss!! Together they are terrible!!! Grandson lives with us every other week. I had them in daycare before we moved 1 1/2 weeks ago. Now, I need to find a job quick because they are driving me nuts. I also have 6 other kids. My other boys are 6, 7, & 8 so they are very close in age. I was home with them when they were toddlers and they were never like this!!!! I truly just think it is personalities.

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~Happiness is a large family~

My kids are 4, 2 1/2 and 11 months...and I think I'm pregnant again! They are such a handful, I know what you mean! They are well-behaved for the most part, I even got compliments on our flights this past week, but at home it can be a different story. Happymom, my kids are the same way. It seems they feed off of each other's naughtiness! We do time-outs and after 2 time-outs, it's off to bed for a small amount of time. It usually works pretty well and they behave better afterwards.

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My Blog ~ I am currently updating this with my favorite natural beauty routines (some are edible!) and more!


Frugal is being wise with your money and resources and cheap is forcing everyone else to.

I have four - ages 14, 11, 8, and 5 and the only one behaving today is the 11yo...they are driving me nuts...I feel like I'm yelling every 5 minutes tonight...my throat is even starting to hurt. They are doing nothing but arguing about everything and then end up hitting. I'm going to lose my mind!!

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"Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake!" - ANONYMOUS

I have a 3 yo son and a newborn, I am still recovering from the c-section. My 3 yo loves his new brother and is not jealous of him, but he does not listen to me at all and I find that I loose my patience all the time. Part of the problem was that my SIL came to take care of my older son when we went to the hospital, she spoiled him over the three weeks she was here, she could not stand to hear him cry of whine so she would give him whatever he wanted...well she left last Saturday, my hubby is back to work as well and I am the one left dealing with two boys... so even one child can be a handfull...I have to say I do feel better now knowing I am not the only one who feels worn out by the time hubby comes home hang in there!

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SAHM to Daniel 03/11/2003 and Samuel 11/14/2006

Mine are 20,19,15,and sd 6. The 2 younger ones are home all the time. My 15 yr old was kicked off the bus--for cussing when someone said something about her older brother--now until Christmas break I have to drive them to and from school. I can't go anywhere and do my shopping because the stores are 40-45 miles away and I have to rush back. She mouths me all the time -won't do anything around the house---I just want to scream. The little one just sits in outer space in front of t.v. I have been making her play instead and she will lay in floor and cry. Shes like a junky---she thinks she has to have the tv. She owns so many great toys that my kids would have died for when they were little--and I have bought so much more--and she won't play with them. Both of them get everything usually they want. I try and make up for the bad life I put my dd through but she is never satisfied --its like she hates my guts....

I feel your pain. my kids haven't been too bad..they're 7 and 4 (expecting #3 in June).
But the days I babysit I am going nuts! Thurs. is the worst day as I have my 4 y.o. dd and 2 brothers, 4 y.o. and 2 y.o. and a 2 y.o. girl. The Potty talk and not listening to me are what is driving me up the freakin' wall. The 2 y.o. are potty training and they bicker alot. Then all 4 of them and they're freakin' potty talk...poopy sauce this, poopy sung to jingle sbells , pee for lunch, it goes on and on and on...I can't take it anymore. They feed off each other and it's like a potty talk frenzy....it makes me want to explode. I've tried to remain calm and non-emotional about it but it's been since preschool atrted in Sept. and every week I think it's going to dissapate and it gets worse and worse instead. Today the corner was my best friend, i told them no more warnigns....unless they have to go potty I don't want to hear poop or pee or doodoo out of your mough or you're going to the corner!Today I was so fed up they all went down for an early nap...except my dd she hasn't napped since she was 3y.o. Plus a ton of other things have happened to me today...all little things but enough to drive me to the crazy house. Ahhh I feel a little better now...gonna go lay down before me pounding headache gets any worse!

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WAHM to Richie, Becca & Ryan!

I can relate. My 6 and 3 year old have been handfuls this past week. They are always wrestling around getting the dog riled and arguing. It's been a difficult time. Many days when dad comes home i have to take a break for a half hour cuz my nerves are frayed. Your not alone!!!

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Jodie....Wife to Andrew (1995)
Mommy to Riley (2000) and Wyatt (2003)

I'm so waiting for Blessed with 6 to pipe in here. She certainly seems to do a wonderful job with her family. None of us are perfect, but she seems to rear so well with love and discipline, a good balance.

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