Five Year Old Phases

My five-year-old is driving us absolutely insane, you guys. And listen this is child number four. In theory, we should have this down by now. The five-year-old stage? Not supposed to be a big deal. The fifteen-year-old stage? That’s the one we’re supposed to be bracing ourselves for.

But as anyone with more than one kid knows, every kid is their own unique brand of chaos. And in our house, with ADHD sprinkled generously across the sibling lineup, their personalities feel even more amplified.

My 14-year-old is the classic hyperfocus kid. If he loves it, he lives it. He will happily build IKEA furniture for fun. But he also loves his Chromebook more than school… so guess how that goes.

My 11-year-old daughter is inattentive ADHD. She pays attention to everything and nothing all at once. She does fine with things she dislikes, but the little details? Right over her head.

My 8-year-old is the stereotype everyone pictures, hyperactive, bouncing off walls, full of love, full of movement, full of everything all the time.

And then… there is the 5-year-old. Also hyperactive, but with impulsivity turned up to maximum. This child:

• Threw my cat off a second-story railing. (Yes, really. Yes, the vet bill was horrifying.)

• Draws on the walls. All the walls. Constantly.

• Steals everyone’s stuff—my tiny klepto.

• Has the emotional regulation of a tornado.

• Will latch onto your leg like a koala and refuse to let go.

• Cannot be unsupervised for more than 60 seconds.

  
  

I’m not kidding when I say my 2-year-old has more freedom than my 5-year-old. I can let the toddler toddle into the next room. I check every few minutes, but he’s fine. The five-year-old? If he disappears for 90 seconds, something is broken, colored on, missing, wet, or airborne.

He has no concept of lying, even though we’ve been actively working on it. I can be mid-lecture and he’ll interrupt with, “Mom, I’m hungry.”

Which brings me to his hunger.

Last night we went to a Mexican restaurant for my uncle’s birthday. My child had:

• Chips and dip

• Rice

• Beans

• Chicken nuggets

• Cake

  
  

Halfway through dinner he declared he was full and wanted none of it. Then at cake time? Full again. Fine. Whatever.

We get in the car, close the doors, my husband turns on the engine, and immediately:

“Mom, I’m hungry.”

He did the SAME THING at a buffet last month. A buffet. Unlimited food. He ate. He declared himself stuffed. We walked to the car, buckled up, started moving and:

“Mom, I’m hungry.”

Please. Somebody send help. I have six kids and I have no idea what to do with this one.

Signed,A mom who loves her babies but desperately needs backup

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Mama, I know how easy it is to get lost in the swirl of kids, work, and life. That’s why I love creating space for moms to pause, breathe, and be reminded of their beauty. At Kristian Hutchings Portraits, you’ll be cared for from start to finish, and you’ll leave with images that show you the grace and strength your family already sees every day.

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Kristian is a mom of six, Program Manager by day, active Professional Photographer by trade, and a big believer in finding beauty in the everyday chaos.

Life in our house is loud, messy and full of literally everything. Love, noise, laundry, laughter, and definitely could use a bit more grace. I'm happily married to my best friend, grounded in my Catholic faith, and fueled by five to six hours of sleep per night and adrenaline.

I try to find joy in the everyday — even when it's wild, because without the little bit of joy, this life would be unbearable. This space is for the moms in the middle of it all: the ones juggling family, faith, work, and wonder. The ones that need someone else's messy life to make their own seem better or somewhat normal. You're not alone, and you're doing better than you think.

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