Steph
Monday 11 February 2013
8 Year Old Dilemma
Does anyone out there know how to deal with an 8 year old daughter who has started answering back, being disrespectful to us in particular, doesn't understand the word no, and who says she is too old to have a time limit or even a time curfew for being on electronics (computer/ipad etc). I have tried being positive, we have tried rewards which work short term, we have been really nice and we have tried not to react to her when she is doing this. We of course have even tried the yelling and screaming and yet nothing works.......it's as though she is on a mission to send us insane. I could understand that if she was 13 or so but not at 8. Please help, I love my baby so much yet I'm lost as to what to do next and it is stressing me out.
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Similar issues here with my son. The attitude was beyond a joke! Eventually we took a bit of a hard line and all electronic equipment was banned during the week and is used as a reward on the weekend for good behaviour accumulated during the week. Working well for us at present....
ReplyDeleteGood luck - I console myself with the fact that this is a phase like other phases we have. We always get there in the end.
sounds like a good idea....we will try it I think......thanks
ReplyDeleteSteph
It's a long time since I have had to deal with 8 year olds but from what I see on blogs and facebook, the attitude of young people is getting way bolder than ever. I guess I never let me kids get the better of me - I was firm with them, spoke in a stern voice if they misbehaved and they knew when I said " you will not ..." that I meant business. They were always well behaved when we dined out and in general, well behaved kids.
ReplyDeleteOne lady was saying the other day how her 6 year old who has just started school was rolling her eyes, stamping her feet and behaving like a little prima donna, expecting the world to bow and scrape to her. This sort of thing needs to be nipped in the bud or OMG, what sort of teenager will she be??
I agree, take away some of the priveleges and have her earn them back if the behaviour gets worse. Make sure she knows that you are in charge and that you mean business - as Dr. Phil says - don't let the tail wag the dog!
I told my husband the same thing....if we don't do something now then what is she going to be like as a teenager. You are right we need to nip it in the bud now. My two older boys never spoke to me like she does when they were her age. They did go through the defiant and defensive stages as teens but they are very well mannered and respectful kids and they love me. I'm thinking that Zoe is like this because she is around a lot of adults being the only child in the house now and she may have picked up some bad habits from her older brother (who is now 19). Taking away privileges especially school days is the way to go I think and rewards for making good choices throughout.
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