5 yr old boy after school

[Saled]

Hi there, I have a 5 yr old boy after school, he's in the same class as my daughter and they seem to get along OK but my own daughter changes a bit when he's around, becomes more boisterous and argumentative. I'm not used to boys of this age, I only have experience with boys under 3 and now realise how very different 5 yr old boys and girls are!

So my questions are:

- the mindee comes out of school wanting to let off steam but at the same time is very tired as still getting used to being full time. What can I do with him (and my dd and two little mindees) until he's collected at 6.15pm?

- I don't feel comfortable, I almost dread him coming, but I think that's my lack of experience, how long should I give it before giving up (feel like I could do that today!)

- How strict should I be when he is talking about shooting, guns, exploding, brains, poo, aliens, monsters etc. My dd has said she wishes he cames in the morning as he says scary stuff too close to bedtime.

Please can someone with more 'boy' experience give me some advice!

Thanks

[AliceK]

Hi there, I have a 5 yr old boy after school, he's in the same class as my daughter and they seem to get along OK but my own daughter changes a bit when he's around, becomes more boisterous and argumentative. I'm not used to boys of this age, I only have experience with boys under 3 and now realise how very different 5 yr old boys and girls are!

So my questions are:

- the mindee comes out of school wanting to let off steam but at the same time is very tired as still getting used to being full time. What can I do with him (and my dd and two little mindees) until he's collected at 6.15pm?

- I don't feel comfortable, I almost dread him coming, but I think that's my lack of experience, how long should I give it before giving up (feel like I could do that today!)

- How strict should I be when he is talking about shooting, guns, exploding, brains, poo, aliens, monsters etc. My dd has said she wishes he cames in the morning as he says scary stuff too close to bedtime.

Please can someone with more 'boy' experience give me some advice!

Thanks

Welcome to the world of boys :)
I have 3 boys before and after school all aged 5 and 6. They are so loud and boisterous but I've learnt to shut myself off from all the noise. I've just taken on a 5yr old girl and on the way home from school she picks flowers and skips along. It's GREAT having a girl now.
I think you need to be as strict as you feel you should be. I personally don't let the children be silly about guns and I don't let my DS (6) have any toy guns downstairs when I'm minding but as for brains, poo, aliens etc,I guess only you can decide. Your house, your rules, but to put your mind at rest they sound like normal boys to me :)
BTW I also have 3 girls under 3 and it's amazing what the older boys find to play with that is for the girls. Fairy castles, dolls houses ect. The boys seem to love music, I have an electric toy guitar and microphone set and they all love that (although it gets VERY noisy)


xxxxxxx

[Saled]

Thank you so much for your reply. I feel reassured that this is normal behaviour!

Today was a lot calmer, I got the Lego out. Music is a good idea though, will give that a go. Its quite funny hearing my dd getting mindee to play 'families' and some real girly games!

[sarah707]

All my younger children are boys at the moment! I have 5 of them and it's been a steep learning curve :laughing:

Keep them fed, watered and busy following their interests and they are generally fine...

Show any sign of weakness or leave them unchallenged for a few minutes while you nip to the loo and they turn into screaming, running, hitting, shouting, fighting, charging around banshees within minutes! :eek:

Enjoy! :D

[Helen Dempster]

Sarah's hit the nail on the head there! I've got all boys right now - 15m old, two 4 year olds, 5 year old and 8 year old. They need to be occupied all the time, else WWIII breaks out and my house gets trashed! I'm the same re guns as someone else mentioned - I don't let my son get any guns out when minded children are here (although he's only got Star Wars guns, but a gun's a gun, and I don't like 'em). But your boys sound like any other boys - ok, on their own, but in a pack....god help our sanity! LOL Have you tried an arts and craft activity with them? Choose something they're interested in - for example, my lot are all mad on Toy Story at mo, so I printed pics of the characters and they all painted, glued, glittered etc...and then were back to WWIII :laughing:

[Cazz]

Now I'm seriously worried!

I've got a 4 and a half year old boy starting with me on Friday before and after school three days a week.

I'm already feeling a bit nervous as to how I'm going to keep him amused as the only other boy mindee I've had started with me at 7 mths and is now 18 mths - he just potters around and throws things about! All my others have been girls!

I hope from what you've said here that he's not going to be too bad an influence on my own (almost 3 year old) daughter who at the moment is quite girly and sweet!

One of the first things he told me when he came to visit was that he likes scary things so do you thing I should be scared myself?!! :laughing:

[Sarahbelle]

I have an 8 year old after school. All he wants to do is watch telly or go on the playstation.:( I have offered painting, colouring, top trumps, lego and the only one I have had any success with is top trumps.

I asked him what he does when he is home and he said "I go on the internet or my wii":( :(

I don't mind him having the telly on for a limited amount of time, but not for two hours!!!!

[singingcactus]

I love boys! It's the whinging, whining and nastiness of girls that I can't stand. Boys are great, what you see is what you get. A little parcel of noise, mess and grossness - what could you possibly not love :laughing: .

I have to admit though to usually being the one to set the boys off on the topic of snot, poop, and other 'gross' things. I just love boys cos they are so hand on, they don't get all funny when they get a tiny bit of mess on their hands, and they don't need everything to be pretty and pink like the vast majority of girls these days. They are just fun, enthusiastic and interested, as well as being made of slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails.

Having said that, by the time I have had a girl for a while they become very hands on too, and can get as messy and gross as the boys.

[Lady Haha]

I only have one boy after school (apart from my son) and the two of them play fairly quietly as neither of them are roughty toughty types! I do have a boisterous boy in school hols that I just don't know what to do with :laughing: I sometimes think that if I had a soft play area attached to the house, he would quite happily run around it playing spies, ninjas or soldiers etc for the whole 10 hours without stopping for breath!

[kate.addley]

I love girls!! I have 3 girls and non of them whinge, whine or are nosey! In fact one of the boys I care for after school is the most whingy child I have ever known! Culminating last night in him telling me that he is bored (after we had all made door hangers) so I asked him what he wanted to do? Answer; he didn't know! So I went through the list of things available - Wii, Drawing, Reading, Board games, Top trumps, outside play, lego, Knex even TV but apparently these are all BORING, Argghhhhh!! HELP!

[Saled]

Thanks for all the replies, they have really helped especially the one about not showing any sign of weakness!!

He is a lovely boy, now I know for sure I just need to get used to him and all will be fine. Oh and stop him telling my dd scary stories before bed!

Any girly questions, I'm happy to help!!