If you have a 7 yr old DS, are they moody, angry, and just generally not like how they used to be?

[chaiwalla]

I feel like I've lost my lovely little boy. Over the past 6 months or so hes become so aggressive, angry. He gets mad at me for just asking him to do anything. He's sulking over every other thing.

I don't know what to do. I'm trying to be really patient with him but sometimes I think he just wants to pick a fight with me.

Please tell me this is a phase or something. I don't know how to deal with it.

Is he struggling with going back to school? Our DS (7y) has phases of this. A few weeks of being mainly great, then a blip of of awfulness and then back to ok etc. No cure here just trying to ride it out!

Can't help, but similar, gritting teeth and grrrring at the simplest request followed by stomping off and or crying, just seems really angry. I was wondering tired, growth spurt, hormones or if I'm not allowing enough freedom, if he needs more or less responsibility, a cuddle?

Oh god. I'm so glad ( not in a happy way, obviously!) that I'm not alone! It's bloody awful. He's like this first thing in the morning too! Im not enjoying being with him.

I hadn't thought of hormones! It's bloody worse than PMT!

I have a 7 year old like this too!!! We try and stay calm whilst having murderous thoughts and tell him his attitude is rude and we won't tolerate it. He gets it but we still have to repeat it regularly!!

Occasionally. It comes and goes. The younger one, 6, is more of a pain in the arse tbh. That one could strop for England over the tiniest thing.