Feeling sad and deflated

[LavenderGrass]

My DD is 5 and I am a single parent. She started school last year. Up till around 4 she was all about me, loved spending time with me and we had a lovely bond. Especially now she's turned 5, I feel like she doesn't like spending time with me anymore. She wants to play at her friends or be doing something else. She rarely wants to have a cuddle or anything anymore. But the worse part is, she's starting telling me she hates me for no particular reason. She gets excited when she sees me at school pick up but soon gets distracted. I feel like she just doesn't like me anymore and it hurts.

Oh dear lord. She's 5. They're vile at this age.

All normal.

Her becoming independent of you is a very good thing, op. It means you're raising a child who feels secure and confident.

As for her saying she hates you, you need to address that. She needs to know, calmly, that words can really, really hurt people. It is not acceptable to tell people you hate them.

The hate thing is interesting. She's testing whether you will stick with her instead of getting wounded. It's boundaries and learning that your love is unconditional.

I tell my kid 'i love you, even when you're crabby, sad and grumpy' and I think that's important, that they always feel inherently loveable no matter what.