My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

How unusual is my 9 year old?

11 replies

ScoutFinchMockingbird · 02/03/2020 13:03

My 9 year old seems a little different to quite a lot of her classmates.
Loves to collect bugs in the garden and look after them in a wormery type environment.
Still lots of imaginative play based on Bakugan or Frozen etc (lots of kids her age seem bemused when she tries to get them fighting invisible enemies and grew out of it long ago).
Very active and on the move - finds it difficult to sit for lengths of time if there is nothing to do / is easily bored BUT will sit and read a quite advanced book or colour for ages.
A bit louder than some other girls her age and more excitable BUT able to behave herself - not boisterous.
A bit disorganised in terms of preparing for a school day e.g. knowing to gather p.e. stuff on a Mon eve ahead of p.e. on a Tues BUT will bring home messages from school about needing to take things in or wear a certain thing (which I was terrible at when 8/9).

Enjoys sports, though isn't that good at them which other kids find difficult as she wants to join in, but hasn't their ability.
Loves the outdoors - walking long distances, climbing hills, sploshing through mud, whereas most girls in her class think that's very strange.

She is always saying she's different to the others - not always in a negative way, but she obviously feels it.

OP posts:
Report
BlueChampagne · 02/03/2020 13:25

From the information given, I think your DD has it spot on. She's a bit different.

I don't think many kids would organise themselves for the next day at school without parental prompting - mine don't anyway!

Report
Bleepers · 02/03/2020 15:19

I don't know but I think she sounds completely lovely x

Report
AmaryllisNightAndDay · 02/03/2020 16:30

Reading between the lines, are you saying she mostly plays by herself? Does she have friends?

Report
AssangesCat · 02/03/2020 16:33

Yeah, she sounds great! As she gets older it will get easier for her to find her people. Cubs/Scouts maybe?

Report
ScoutFinchMockingbird · 02/03/2020 16:34

@Amaryllis She has some friends in a "hang outin the playground" type of way. Not in a play date / close friend way.

OP posts:
Report
AmaryllisNightAndDay · 02/03/2020 16:49

If she socialises fairly OK in the playground then I agree with AssangesCat she will probably find her own people later on. Are there any social groups she can join where her unusual interests fit in more - an eco group, scouting?

Report
Jannt86 · 02/03/2020 21:09

She sounds like an absolute delight Smile is SHE happy? If she is then I wouldn't worry. It literally scares the life out of me for my 2YO girl that this is all considered peculiar as to me it all sounds exactly like how a typical 9YO should be. I'm so sad for our children that they have no childhood any more. My memories of being 9 are of being pretty much exactly like your daughter. Don't be sucked into the 'ipad generation' What you're describing is a child who's growing up appropriately and not too quickly or too attached to technology etc. If she's not fitting in with them then find her some like minded children to play with (join some clubs like guides etc) Don't make her fit in unless she expresses concern. It doesn't sound like anything is wrong x

Report
ScoutFinchMockingbird · 03/03/2020 09:21

She is mostly happy, except she is sometimes rejected (told to play elsewhere) by some of the other kids and is never invited anywhere to play, which she feels.
She does do scouts, which she adores and she does a singing group which she also loves and that is where she would describe herself fitting in the most as it has similar sorts of girls - slightly full on and full of energy.
She does ove the iPad too - she would happily be on it all the time - it's her strict mother that limits time on it Grin.

OP posts:
Report
BlueChampagne · 03/03/2020 11:56

Is it a large school? She may, as others have said, find her own people more easily at secondary school.

Report
ScoutFinchMockingbird · 03/03/2020 13:03

It's not large, no and I'm sure you are right about secondary. It's just 2.5 more years to go, which in child eyes feels like a life time.

I am hoping the stuff she does outside will be enough to make her not lose confidence in herself and that the children she hangs out with don't tell her not to on a regular basis (it's only occasional at the moment).

OP posts:
Report
BlueChampagne · 04/03/2020 13:25

Definitely keep up with the extra-curricular activities and research your secondary school carefully. All the best for you both.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.