Tired = "crazy" behavior

[OakBerry]

My ds is 3.5.
He has always been a napper, when he was taking two naps they were 2 hours each, when he was down to one nap it was 3 hours.
Now that he's 3.5, he resists napping, and a lot of days I don't make him, so he is literally bouncing off the walls by 4pm. I try a "quiet time" instead and try to read or watch a movie with him, That works for a bit, but the minute I start to say, get dinner ready, all heck breaks loose. He runs around the room dumping toys everywhere, runs into me and rams me with his head full force. If I'm cooking he will run around and start dumping stuff or torturing the cat so I will stop doing what I'm doing. He can't focus his attention on playdough or coloring so there's nothing I can keep him occupied with while I'm doing dinner, except the dang TV. : And having his pacifier and blanket helps him some. I know the basic need, he wants me, and wants comfort. But what do you do every day when you have to get dinner ready? I am a stressbag every evening over this.

Btw, I've also noticed the same type of behavior when he eats sugar.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Can you prepare dinner earlier in the day, put it on plates all ready to just be reheated and served, or something?

It sounds like he really needs you later in the day. It would probably only be for a little while til he adjusts to a new sleep schedule.

[OakBerry]

Yes, I try to prep dinner in advance, but am not always that ambitious. Some nights I end up getting take out just because I'm too tired to deal.
I'm hoping he'll adjust soon, but I think it's going to be a while until he's old enough to function properly without that nap.

[Galatea]

Well, I don't think tv while you are making dinner is evil.

Or you could make his dinner first and let him eat while you cook dinner for you.

[Magella]

The crock pot is my friend! I love my crock pot. Put things in it early in the day, take 'em out at dinner time all cooked. No fuss, only one pot to clean, very little effort...Ahhhhhhhhh. The crock pot is one answer to the crazy dinner hour.

Another answer to the crazy dinner hour (it's nutty for us too, because all my kids are tired and getting a little bouncy/crazy/loud) is having the kids help cook (they all started peeling carrots and potatoes at age 3), they can wash veggies, they can stir and pour and sprinkle, they love to use the salad spinner. They love to wash the table with spray bottles, they like to set the table "fancy" for candlelight dinner.

I find it also helps to save some really interesting things to pull out while cooking if the kids don't want to help. Playing at the sink with water (pouring, bubbles, bathing a doll), mixing up a little "recipe" of their own, arts and crafts. "Skating" on the floor with wet towels (as opposed to mopping-this gets slippery though).

Times when my kids are a little off the wall are excellent times for cranking up the music and having a dance party-dance like maniacs and get that energy out (mama too, of course).

Monitor snacks, maybe something he eats early in the day leads to him feeling a little nutty later on.

We built a cozy corner for times when the kids need to relax. It's a giant floor cushion (I'm not kidding, I used 3 yards of upholstery material and 50 pounds of stuffing) piled high with pillows and blankets. Just right for sinking into with a book to look at or a person to cuddle with. Sometimes when you feel tired and overstimulated you want a nice comfy place to go.

We have a fireplace, so we like to light up a fire in the evening. This is a good time for the kids to pretend they're camping. Which leads me to...

Forts! Build a fort before dinner-cover the table with a sheet, give the kids a flashlight, and let them play.

Okay, I'm out of ideas for now. That's a tough time of day. I hope you find some relief.

[Jilian]

Same thing happens here, my DS is almost 3. He usually naps, but when he doesn't we have severe meltdowns from 4 pm on. Cooking is near impossible. I let DS watch a movie while I cook and if he gets antsy I'll let him "help" me cook. But it seems that even the slightest upset can be a trigger for a MAJOR meltdown when he hasn't had a nap.

I try to keep our activites calm and quiet. Sometimes we'll sit on the couch and read stories together, other times I'll take him for a walk in his stroller to get some fresh air.

i just wish he would nap every day. He's not ready to be giving up naps!

[OakBerry]

Sledg,
I forgot about the crockpot!!! Thanks for the idea!
As far as helping, he really wants to, but when he's in that "crazy" mode
he just can't concentrate and his body just doesn't work well. Unless I'm doing it with him (or doing most of it for him) he ends up getting frustrated instead. I guess I will save his tv time for dinnertime for now!

Jillian-glad to know other people have dinner time "hell" as well.
I feel guilty getting annoyed with him, but I do...

[josie143]

MY SON USE TO BE LIKE THAT UNTIL I GOT HIM SOME PRETEND POTS AND PANS AND A PRETEND GRILL HE USE TO PRETEND COOKING WITH ME BUT NOW HES 11 YEARS OLD AND HE LOVES TO COOK REAL FOOD WHEN I M IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE I DON'T ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO USE THE STOVE BY THEMSELVES!!GOOD LUCK BE PATIENT!!!!

[AmyAngel]

Times when my kids are a little off the wall are excellent times for cranking up the music and having a dance party-dance like maniacs and get that energy out (mama too, of course).

I had this idea in the back of my head as a possible tension/power struggle breaker that might work - I was thinking I wouldn't need to ask about it until I actually have a kid and she/he is old enough to do this, and here it is as a suggestion! I'm glad to see this here!

As for the OP, I don't have a kid yet, so no suggestions other than the crock pot, or if you can maybe cook some other time (weekends?) when someone else can be keeping him occupied - make things in big batches you can freeze or refrigerate and just reheat. I know that is easier said than done, though.