Comments on: Pre-Teen Wasteland

By: Miss Cellania

Miss Cellania — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:21:51 +0000

It has begun. You’ve already taught her to walk and talk and clean herself, so she thinks she knows everything. You’ve essentially handed off the book learnin’ to schools, as is our culture’s system. The next few years you’ll be concentrating on teaching her right from wrong, how to treat people, how to make her own decisions, and who to not trust. In other words, how the real world works. She won’t want to learn, because she already knows everything. It will seem like a long hard lesson, but before you know it, she’ll be a teenager and won’t listen at all.

If she’s anything like my girls.

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:25:49 +0000

Delurking to agree with Noreen. What you need to pay attention to is what others in her community say about her. Teachers, daycare providers, moms. Is she getting invited back to friends houses? If yes, then she is a joy to have over. (Do you have kids to your house that are brats?) Trust me, you rather have this behaviour at home then at school. Try this, when she is sassy or whiney simply tug on your ear and say, “Huh, what? I can’t understand you?”

By: ezfez

ezfez — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:25:28 +0000

not a mom, but offering you best wishes! the residual-anger-over-moving sounds plausible to me. and i’ll side with omega dotter for a moment and say there’s no special reason for us “only dotters” to be any more prone to being spoiled/selfish/whatever than anyone else. life’s tough, and it sounds like six is especially tough.

By: Lauri

Lauri — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:58:16 +0000

Just offering my support and a big hug…. I was hoping that this would get better by age six. We are having similar snippy, sassy, whiney and general fussy pants over here at not- yet- even- three- yet. YIKES

I often find myself wracking my brain wondering where did I go wrong.I have tried so hard and yet I am raising a stinker. I always thought my child would be a reflection of my stellar parenting.

Hang in there & let us know how things improve and any helpful tactics. Us Moms have to stick together

By: Jean

Jean — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:57:41 +0000

Okay, you might hate me for this but to be brutally frank - you have a brat of your own making. Squirts need strict rules and lines of do’s and don’ts with no buts and or’s with lots of love thrown in.In school and at gymnastics there are rules that she must adher to. She soon knowns the ropes and that makes her feel safe. If she sometimes has to obay and sometimes gets her own way she loses that feeling of security and turns into a monster. She’s asking for your help. The key to it all is she is a “good” child at school, etc. but not always at home. The time is now before she becomes a monster permenantly all the time.

You are not alone. Your case is very typical of getting such a cute sweetie as the first and only child.

Good luck.

By: Julie Pippert

Julie Pippert — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:32:50 +0000

I was warned!

Do you ever watch that show Damages? The lawyer makes the girl sign the card, “I was warned?”

I was. My sister said, HA to 2. HA HA to 3, and BEWARE OF SIX. I was skeptical (suffering 3 at the time as I was) and now, at six? Holy mother Mary help me please.

Sassy Snotty Six it’s known as and for good reason.

You made it through 3, K, and you’ll make it through 6 and you’ll see the lovely girl. You haven’t failed.

But oh how I empathize. I have the same thing (love street angel/house hellion).

Yesterday P SQUASHED my hat just because I wouldn’t let her do a not okay thing. OMFS. I spent the rest of the soccer game venting to my sister. Who just listened.

You are not alone. And she’s in a Phase.

Julie
Using My Words

By: noreen

noreen — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:49:50 +0000

Oh they do grow up okay, but it takes a lot out of the parents. My own mom used to refer to her children as “street angels, house hellions.” As long as this behavior isn’t going on out in the community you’ve got nothing to worry about but your own sanity. Hang in there.

By: carosgram

carosgram — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:19:23 +0000

All mothers of 5/6 year olds have had the same hopes, come to believe it will pass and it does until the girl child turns 12/13. That makes 5/6 look wonderfully peaceful.

By: sara

sara — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:59:38 +0000

I haven’t commented in ages, but I’m thinking that some of her problem may still be the move. Kids take longer to process and work out big upheavals in their lives and maybe she’s still working it out?

I have a terrible, terrible two so I can empathize. I’m hoping you see more of Miss Jekyll very soon.

By: GrannyJ

GrannyJ — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 06:32:33 +0000

Hey there — want me to name one??? Dare you.