Getting 5 Year Old Sit Still And Be Quiet

[Neeranam]

My 5 year old talks/sing non-stop now. I blame those bloody "Wiggles" in Australia and their bloody Dorothy the Dinosaur songs. I was worried at an early age about her speaking little English but now it's all the time! At the dinner table, when the telly's on, in the toilet! Should I be concerned or is this normal?

She is also very clingy, which gets on my nerves sometimes, especially when I'm trying to look after the baby who is 14 months. The baby cries, I change her nappy, shit gets on the floor, I slip on the pee, a 5 year old hanging from my leg, my telephone is ringing, the postman is shouting at the front door, the dog has come inside and sniffing the shit etc etc. It's like something out a Charlie Chaplin movie.

Is it jealousy because of the baby? Lack of attention?

Any tips on dealing with a 5 and 1 year old appreciated .

[LeungKen]

'

Lots of patience and a sense of humour !..

Dividing your time and splitting yourself in two is never easy, but hang in there and what ever you do stay calm. You'll see the funny side later, but at the time it must feel like the aliens have taken over. What is you other half doing at the same time or have you been landed with 2 for the duration. ? Perhaps you need some help are there others in the family can lend a hand and ease the burden a little.

In the meantime a routine and a little discipline might help. Cheers & stay sane I'm sure it will be worth it in the long term.

[catwho]

If she has no friends find some,and get some help,if both are possible, is'nt being a daddy great no matter how old u are.

good advice fom leugken.mine are 7ys and 8 months

[bina]

sounds pretty normal day for most of us who have had kids.... ; try it when u have three and a dog.... (who eats the poo which is convenient if not disgusting)...

and remember, they turn in to teenagers so they double in size and volume (less poo) but equally comic situations arise, and u can add in the slamming of doors, teenage tears, dogs barking, phones ringing and cell phones singing, but when its not happening, the house becomes awful quiet and neat...

bina

forgot to add: my youngest was also a singer, in the toilet, going to sleep on waking up, etc... we even thought she was autistic and she would only express herself in song.... she is attention deficit but the rest of it worked it self out, she sings when she's in a good mood and she's usually in a good mood when she's not being a horrible teenager,

u might try having her (the five yr old) 'help' u with the baby (if she wants to), not chores, but many kids like to help change diapers, make the bottle etc.... and some 'special' time with the five year old might also relieve her of some of her clinginess...

and ignore the phones when in the middle of something... unless u are expecting a particular call, most folks will try again later or they are selling u something so no great loss...

try changing baby on the floor on a mat, that way, no pee to slip on since you are already floor level ;

and five is old enough for a parent/child chat about things-- include sibling jealousy issues that u can delicately probe for in a conversation at five yr old level...

rememer, little babies dont take up a parent's time as much as an older baby who is 'just starting to walk her first step' and 'just said ga ga for the first time' stuff, enough to make a five yr old feel that a lot of her attention is being taken up by the now more active and 'real' baby. newborns are boring for most kids since they dont do much, as a baby gets older, and everyone makes a fuss about every new activity (look, she's starting to crawl...') the older kids get left out a bit and feel less special (hence the singing a lot, it attracts attention etc)...

teh clinginess is cluing u in (dont know why most men automatically say 'discipline' first without looking at the overall situation)... try to see things a bit from the five yr olds point of view (literally i mean, like how she is seeing your interactions with both of u - and the dog ) ), take a step back, and maybe some minor changes can relieve the situation.

bina

Edited April 27, 2008 by bina

[Newbee]

She is also very clingy, which gets on my nerves sometimes, especially when I'm trying to look after the baby who is 14 months.

Is it jealousy because of the baby? Lack of attention?

Any tips on dealing with a 5 and 1 year old appreciated .

1. Make her feel important. Oh, thank you dear, if you didn't give me that diaper, I wouldn't be able to take care of the baby. help me to make a laundry - push this button, add this and that, but remember not to do it on your own because this and that may happen.

2. Let her associate herself with you, not the baby. Give her a doll, saying this is your baby, this is mine, let's play. Mimmick me, let's breast feed, let's change diapers, let's be quieter, etc.

The baby should not be a competitor/threat to her.

3. You have lots to do, but finding time to educate your daughter is important. Take a book and try to explain what's in it TO THE BABY (the real target is the 5 yr old). Do it loudly, stimulate her interest, attract her attention, in a minute she will be next to you asking lots of questions. In a month she will be browsing books independently - and you will have your five-minute-peace .

[Thaiboxer]

Try duct tape; a piece over the mouth works wonders

[PattayaParent]

Try duct tape; a piece over the mouth works wonders

Or the ball gag and handcuffs if the missus isn't using them.

My 4 year old talks all the time too, incessantly, through TV programmes, movies (we can't go to the cinema anymore), when reading books, riding in the car or taxi and in school. It's no problem, just part of their natural curiosity and growing up. Just talk back to her and answer her questions or better yet try to get her to figure out the answer herself.

[roygsd]

My 5 year old talks/sing non-stop now. I blame those bloody "Wiggles" in Australia and their bloody Dorothy the Dinosaur songs. I was worried at an early age about her speaking little English but now it's all the time! At the dinner table, when the telly's on, in the toilet! Should I be concerned or is this normal?

She is also very clingy, which gets on my nerves sometimes, especially when I'm trying to look after the baby who is 14 months. The baby cries, I change her nappy, shit gets on the floor, I slip on the pee, a 5 year old hanging from my leg, my telephone is ringing, the postman is shouting at the front door, the dog has come inside and sniffing the shit etc etc. It's like something out a Charlie Chaplin movie.

Is it jealousy because of the baby? Lack of attention?

Any tips on dealing with a 5 and 1 year old appreciated .

What did you expect having kids to be like?

Babies crap, dogs sniff shit, alway did and always will, get over it.

if you cleaned the pee up and the crap of the floor as it happened oyu would not slipping on it, get a routine sorted out and stick to it.

Tell the Postman to shut up and wait.

The girl is fine, sure she might be a bit put out by the bnew baby's arival but after 12 months it seems more like you have not managed to convince her that they are equal, a bit of one to one with he 5 year old each day will work wonders, involve her in helping you with the baby ( but dont be expecting too much of her) she wants your attention and is entitled to some of it.

I have 4 daughters the youngest is now 26 and trust me they still need your attention at whatever age.

In the meantime train the dog not to sniff the shit ..................

[Ananke]

My 5 year old talks/sing non-stop now. I blame those bloody "Wiggles" in Australia and their bloody Dorothy the Dinosaur songs. I was worried at an early age about her speaking little English but now it's all the time! At the dinner table, when the telly's on, in the toilet! Should I be concerned or is this normal?

She is also very clingy, which gets on my nerves sometimes, especially when I'm trying to look after the baby who is 14 months. The baby cries, I change her nappy, shit gets on the floor, I slip on the pee, a 5 year old hanging from my leg, my telephone is ringing, the postman is shouting at the front door, the dog has come inside and sniffing the shit etc etc. It's like something out a Charlie Chaplin movie.

Is it jealousy because of the baby? Lack of attention?

Any tips on dealing with a 5 and 1 year old appreciated .

Uh huh. Been there done that too. Same age gap. You have my TOTAL sympathy!

Chant this mantra to yourself:

"This won't last for ever.This won't last for ever.This won't last for ever."

And remind yourself as needed:

"They'll grow up and I'll look back, and I'll miss this age." (Actually true ... just not the poo, etc!)

Good luck.

[Ananke]

In the meantime train the dog not to sniff the shit ..................

I'm not sure right now she's got spare time to train the dog!

[Shotime]

Before this turns into a discussion of ADD (and it's always a possibility here), no drugs. Try some attention and care first. Like has been said, it's just, probably, being a kid.

[Bredbury Blue]

1. My 5 year old talks/sing non-stop now...Should I be concerned or is this normal?

2. She is also very clingy, which gets on my nerves sometimes...Is it jealousy because of the baby? Lack of attention?

I have 5 & 3 yr old boys. So it sounds pretty normal to me and similar to mine.

1. My 5 yr old was like that, and very immature (obviously comparing him to his peers) but he's quieting down and growing up noticeably, now we occasionally have moderately intellectual chat (for a 5 yr old that is - he loves to tell me what he's learnt and it goes on from there, expanding the subject). Now my 3 yr old has taken the baton and is the pest of the house "a little bugger" as he knows he's called.

2. When the 3 yr old was born the 5 yr old (being 2 yrs) got incredibly clingy and in the initial months he went mental if i picked up the baby, but things got better over time and now they are partners in crime (apart from when they are beating each other up - the 3 yr old can take it and dish it). That said, the 3 yr old is very sure of himself, very much his own man, while the 5 yr old needs to be assured from time to time.

Yours will grow out of it all.

On your never ending job as a parent, as my mum says "there's no peace for the wicked" to which i always add "and mum's and dad's"!