Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder if anyone else 7 year old is like this....

56 replies

CheshireDing · 07/04/2019 18:24

whinging ALL the time (it's like living with Kevin the Teenager), over dramatic (tiny mark on her hand earlier, there wasn't even a red line of blood FGS !), rude (I sent her to her bedroom today and she told me 'I hate you" (lovely).

When she is not doing all of the above she is then saying constantly asking about the next time, e.g. we were making rice crispy cakes earlier and she said "so can I get the dollies so wash them after". We don't even get chance to finish one thing before she is asking about the next.

It's exhausting, she does entertain herself and we do stuff together so I don't think it's because she is ignore/over stimulated (obv could be wrong)

I need to move out before she becomes a teenager Shock Wine

OP posts:
Bearfrills · 07/04/2019 18:28

I think it's a developmental thing, DD is 7yo and very similar. She was utterly lovely until a few months, the original dream child, and now she's exactly like yours sounds. From speaking to her friends parents it seems to be a phase, I'm hoping she comes out the other side of it soon!

Stravapalava · 07/04/2019 18:30

I have one of those as well. She's either lovely or a complete nightmare.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 07/04/2019 18:31

🙋🏻‍♀️ Yep I have one of those.

Bearfrills · 07/04/2019 18:33

Yesterday she cried because she was "tired" at 6am. I said go back to bed so she had a rant about how unfair I was being and how would going back to bed fix it!? Hmm

I made DH get up with her and I went back to bed instead Grin

outpinked · 07/04/2019 18:34

Yep, I have three of those Grin. My 9 yo DS was lovely until he turned seven, I think he literally switched over night and transformed into Kevin. Suddenly hated having his photo taken, started whinging about clothes I bought him, didn’t want to do x thing I had planned etc. He’s slowly improving now but still has his Kevin moments. My DM called me Kevin growing up so I guess that’s where they get it from Wink.

My DD’s are 6 and 7 and very much the same. I think it’s developmentally normal.

SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 07/04/2019 18:34

🙋‍♀️Me too- but mines now older, but showing solidarity in that I went through it too. It’s exhausting, but I think it’s that next stage to independence, where they are wanting it, but still need that handhold.

Xiaoxiong · 07/04/2019 18:36

Currently doing grey rock with 7 year old DS as he rages that I made his jacket potato with the wrong kind of beans. He also is trying out saying "I hate you, you're the worst" and other such charming sentiments. He's not exactly wasting away, he knows he's going to bed without any supper if he doesn't eat what he's given (one which he regularly eats without issue), he's just pushing the boundaries. He has some work to do over the Easter holidays and is spending more time every day whining about it than it would take to actually just crack on and do it.

I'm really hoping it's a phase and he isn't turning into a teenager just yet!!

Shutityoutart · 07/04/2019 18:40

My almost 7 year old crawls into bed with me in the morning and asks what we are doing that day before I’ve even opened an eyeball. If I say ‘swimming’ he will then say ‘and what after that ?’ And repeat .... until we get to the end of the day.
He’s already asked what we are doing next weekend !

Delegator · 07/04/2019 18:40

🙋🏽‍♀️

Mine just asked me to brush her hair

Then moaned when my ever so gently brushing, hurt her.

Then snatched brush off me and threw it on the floor

Then rolled around the floor whining

Then had attitude when I asked her to get up off the floor.

I have tried to reason, assist, calm her down and it’s made her worse.

DH currently has her crying upstairs whilst he’s ironing and I’m watching Madam Secretary with a brew Brew

Natsku · 07/04/2019 18:44

Oh yes, I noticed a big change in DD since she turned 7 - much more grumpy, rude, argumentative, lots of mood swings.

Singlenotsingle · 07/04/2019 18:47

There's something to be said for sending kids up the chimneys Grin

huuskymam · 07/04/2019 18:50

My youngest was exactly like that at 7. Hes 9 now and seems to have grown out of it.

YouTheCat · 07/04/2019 18:54

Conscription for the under 10s! That'll sort them out!

Tbh, when mine was like that I ignored them. They got plenty of attention if they spoke to me like a person and none at all if they whined.

Delegator · 07/04/2019 18:54

I do wonder if it is hormonal?

Dd has been up and down more recently and quite teary too.

I wish I could get in her head sometimes. I don’t know what’s going on with her. We’re now cuddling after a teary apology Confused

GetOffTheTableMabel · 07/04/2019 18:58

I have selective deafness. I can only hear things that are expressed in a friendly tone of voice. If whined or grumped at, I just remind them once (and only once) that I don’t respond to unfriendly voices and then I ignore them without caving. No one has whined in a decade.
I am deeply irritating.

BlueMerchant · 07/04/2019 19:02

My dd is hard work. She is 8. She's been argumentative, moody, and in need of constant stimulation for the last few months. She can't play alone like she used to, she no longer enjoys watching a movie as a family like we used to( she rolls around shouting it's boring or she point blank refuses and will run up and down stairs in a mood). She MUST have friends to play everyday both after school and on a weekend or she starts screaming and shouting that we are horrible parents.
We need to be constantly 'doing' things and going places too.
I usually dread the 3:15 school run!

purpleme12 · 07/04/2019 19:07

Will mine's 5 and moans all the bloody time it feels like
And to top it off does not seem to listen to a word I say as well

I cannot stand the negativity

Iggly · 07/04/2019 19:09

Yes - but I think it’s because she is tired. It’s the Easter school holidays here - she’s had two terms of school and is ready for a break. She hasn’t been sleeping well - keeps having bad dreams.

Hence the tantrums.

Wearywithteens · 07/04/2019 19:12

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

LegoPeopleEverywhere · 07/04/2019 19:12

Me too! I'm relieved to read this tbh, I was really embarrassed of his whiny behaviour when we were out in public today. Luckily he can be motivated to do most things with the promise of Minecraft time. I also refuse to listen to impolite requests.

LegoLady95 · 07/04/2019 19:13

Age 6-9 was the hardest work ever with DS2. Mentally exhausting. He is 10 now and great company. DD is 6 now and showing glimmers of it...

Delegator · 07/04/2019 19:19

Many of these examples sound like children who’ve never been left to amuse themselves so they don’t know how to. Time to teach them about independence - especially if they are saying ‘I hate you’ treat that as a cue that they are resenting their dependence on you.

Only in MN can a lighthearted thread to support and offer sympathies to other parents of 7 year olds and someone comes on and tells us we’re clearly to blame and must teach our children something that will instantly solve all our problems Hmm

Bearfrills · 07/04/2019 19:24

Many of these examples sound like children who’ve never been left to amuse themselves so they don’t know how to. Time to teach them about independence - especially if they are saying ‘I hate you’ treat that as a cue that they are resenting their dependence on you.

DD has three siblings, trust me when I say that she gets ample opportunity to amuse herself. I am not an entertainer.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 07/04/2019 19:24

We don't even get a chance to finish one thing before she is asking about the next

All very familiar, but this especially. DS (also 7) is already making detailed plans for our DDog's funeral. She's only 2!

Original poster
CheshireDing · 07/04/2019 19:29

You all make me feel so much better, thank you Grin not that this helps any of you either ! At least I don't feel so alone now though.

I did wonder if it was a developmental thing (like the Wonder Weeks but for older children) but I couldn't find anything properly for this age range.

She definitely does entertain herself too - washing her dollies earlier whilst I had a hot chocolate as I couldn't take it any more.

God help me if it last until she is 9, her Brothers are 5 and 3 I clearly need to move out now, not once they are teenagers Grin

Have suggested to DH he gets wine from the Co-Op (classy like !) Grin

OP posts: