My 6 year old boy is a very bright child, seems popular at school, doing well in class, and doesn't seem to have any particular worries (I have asked). He's an only child (so gets bags of attention), but enjoys having friends round to play, and also has lots of confidence in the company of adults. HOWEVER he bursts into tears at the slightest little thing. He always has done I suppose, but now that he is six, and a "big boy", it just seems way over the top. Last night he howled because his apple fell on the floor. The night before he howled because I told him it was time to get out of the bath. The other day he burst into tears of rage because I told him to go to the loo before tea. This morning he bawled his head off because a brick tower he was building fell down. He will cry if he tastes something he doesn't like. He'll cry if he hears music that he doesn't like. And this isn't just a little temper-tantrum thing, he cries and cries, inconsolably, as if this is the worst thing that ever happened to him. It's just really awful open-flood-gates uncontrolled emotion. Just recently I have started getting cross with him when he cries, in the hope that telling him off will bring him to his senses. I try to explain that his reaction isn't appropriate, the people will think he's a baby, etc. (He'll do it when he has friends round to play too - they always seem quite taken aback by his extreme reactions). But I realise this probably isn't the best way to handle it - it's usually just me off-loading my own irritation/anger/shame/frustration at his behaviour. My DP has also started responding to DS this way, but he REALLY gets angry, shouts at DS, issues "time out" punishments, etc. I do accept that shouting at DS is not going to stop the crying business, but we have been trying to handle it for years now (at first with lots of cuddles and sympathy) and it's just not getting any better - the shouting has started because my DP and I feel that we can't stand it any more, and we're also coping with guilt of course - guilt about shouting, and also wondering where we've gone wrong and why our son is such a "baby" compared with other boys his age. The thing is, when he's NOT crying, he is as I said a really easy-going bright confident little boy, very creative, inquisitive and apparently happy. Anyone else got a similar problem, or any good strategies? Really feel like a failing parent at the mo.
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Behaviour/development
6 year old cries about EVERYTHING and I am at wit's end
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DippyMummy · 04/12/2012 11:00
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