Is this typical behaviour (8yo)?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Chipping away at the home learning during lockdown and DD does the same every day and I wondered if it rang true for others?

We read the page (it has an explanation of the task at the top followed by some questions).

Before she has even finished the How To she proclaims she doesn't know how to do it. I then read it to her. Again, she doesn't understand. I do some additional explanation. Before I've even finished I get again "I just don't understand!"

The second we move onto the questions and she realises she can do them, she swings the other way, and becomes almost manic. By the end of the page she is just the polar opposite of the child at the start.

I assumed at first it was a confidence thing, so I reinforce that it's ok not to understand but if you read through, work through the tasks, it will likely click. Fine.

But the swing in personality is astonishing and, frankly, frustrating.

She does similar with new meals. Does the "I don't like/bleurch/gag" shit for the first mouthful then, when I assure her that's all there is, not only does she eat it (great!) but she becomes polar opposite. "Oh mum, it's actually really delicious" and giddy.

It's fucking exhausting. But I'm starting to think there's more to it than her just being intentionally obtrusive.

I should add, sorry, on the "manic" description, she is hyper, laughing, celebrating that she knows what to do, but in a way which I think is her trying to overcompensate for how she was in the start.

Could you just skip the whole reading part of the process and tell her to jump straight into the questions? Ignore any whingeing about not knowing what to do.

She will just say she doesn't know how to do them. And some need the explanation. E.g. today the work was inverting sums, which she hadn't done before. So she needs the "how to" bit.

My dd is like this with English. She just hates it that’s all. And can be quite rigid about things, very stubborn. She’s also 8.
It’s like she doesn’t want to be forced to do something so will resist.

For what it’s worth, we have more success if we do English in a different way - I try and act more like a teacher as opposed to reading worksheets (so I introduce the concept, we watch a relevant bbc bite size and I help her with planning).

That's interesting.

I'll look ahead at the worksheet tomorrow and see what the topic is and will do a bit completely separate on that - sort of introduce it another way like the suggestions you've given. Then hopefully when she comes to do the set work she will feel more confident.

I have found my people!! 8 year old so bloody headstrong and decides before she has read the question that she can't do it.(maths especially). Wants me to read the question out, even though she can read it herself. But then decides it is the best thing ever when she has finished. And don't get me started on the mood swings!!!

Oh god....
Falls down crying at the arrival of fishfinger

It's just beyond a joke.

Ok so I’m assuming after her school work she gets to do something fun like screen time or playing outside or whatever her thing is? In which case I would get firm and tell her I don’t want to hear “I can’t do it”. You read it and start the questions and if you need anything explained you ask properly. No whining or stropping. You ignore any whining and remind her that she doesn’t get to do her fun thing until she has finished her work.

Pushes her luck with everything!! I will ask her to do something and she will always say l will do it in one minute- like a control thing- she will do it on her terms!! Sometimes l am glad cos l think she won't be a pushover, then others l think just do what l am asking, first time l ask, fed up of asking 5 times!!! Aarrgghh!

Maybe she is overfaced, break it down into small chunks. Teaching kids is not easy, and if they are emotional it's often better to move on.