Emotional 8yo DD

[mushroomsontoast]

Putting 8yo DD to bed and she said "I'm a bad person". I asked why she thought that, she said "because I'm naughty". I tried to explain everyone behaves badly sometimes but it doesn't mean they're not a bad person and that she was a good girl and I loved her but she kept saying "I'm not, I'm naughty"

This isn't the first time she's been like this at bedtime after being told off during the day. As a background, I had punished her earlier in the day for being rude to me and for hitting her sister by sending her to her room to calm down, and threatening that she wouldn't be able to go to her dance class if she didn't calm down and apologise (she did get to go in the end).

I know she's pushing boundaries at the moment, and it isn't the behaviour I'm.worried about so much as the way she seems to dwell on it and take it to heart afterwards. She's had a lot to deal with lately, I split with her dad 2 years ago, plus all the usual back to school angst. She just seems quite negative and angsty in general, and down on herself. But I can't not punish bad behaviour, and she sometimes gets in such massive strops and is so rude to me, but then apologises and really puts herself down about it afterwards.

Is it normal for this age, or something I need to worry about? It all started over not being happy with her hair after I'd done it and just escalated from there.

[Cornygirl]

Going through this too at the moment, my dd is a nightmare when other people are around and then can be sweet as pie when we are on our own, especially at bed time when she brings up all her angst and worries from the day. I don't know whether to clamp down on the bad behaviour or let it go. She is also having a difficult time at the moment. Sorry no real advice here, but sympathy x

[Cornygirl]

I think years 4 and 5 can be really tough, so it is normal though