DD5 is out of control. Her behaviour is escalating and we just don't know what to do.
In case it's relevant - she's an only child. She's very bright (advanced reader, very articulate despite being a late talker, amazing memory.) She's also very affectionate - she tells me she loves me maybe 20 times a day, loves having cuddles. At school she is pretty well behaved. There's been a couple of blips at school but on the whole it's fine.
But her behaviour at home, oh my god. She is so defiant. Absolutely everything she's asked to do she either refuses to do or just ignores us altogether. Every step of our day is a battle - getting dressed, cleaning teeth, going to the toilet, having hair washed, coming to the dinner table, going to bed, everything. She refuses every single dinner which is put in front of her and embarrassingly, I just end up spoon feeding her and basically begging her to eat something.
She also has a temper and this, along with the backchat, has been escalating recently. She shouts, swears, stamps her feet, slams doors and argues all the time. If I said the sky is blue she would probably scream at me that it's pink. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells from the moment we get up wondering what little thing will set her off. She's so rude - she'll say things to DH and me like we need to watch our attitude!
I've been reading about oppositional defiant disorder and wondering whether she actually has something wrong like this.
Nothing seems to work. She doesn't respond well to time-outs, she won't stay in her room. She doesn't seem bothered about sanctions - we've conviscated and even thrown away cheap toys but she doesn't seem to care (although she is upset once it happens, but she still doesn't listen the next time it's threatened.) Making games and challenges out of things used to work sometimes, but not anymore.
We try our hardest to recognise and praise the good behaviour, but it's few and far between really! I'm ashamed to say that I often ending up snapping and shouting at her - and I know that this will be contributing to her modelling that - but I'm really at the end of my tether with her most days.
I don't know what to do. Does this sound like typical 5yo behaviour (I'm sure it's not) and should I be going to see the GP? Will they take me seriously? I've raised her eating issues 3 times in the past with the GP and it was just dismissed really. Please help.
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Please help, DD5 is out of control
41 replies
pristinechristine · 25/05/2016 11:14
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