What's Happened to my Lovely Little Boy?

[BaconAndAvocado]

7 yo DS has recently developed quite a moany, negative attitude along with occasional rudeness.

As well as being horrible it has started to upset me.

Is this a phase? Or is he prematurely entering into the teenage stage?

We always pull him up whenever he is rude but a lot of it is a more subtle change in his behaviour. An almost more adult way of talking, with a hint do cockiness thrown in.

There seems to be little joy or wonder left. He's disillusioned at 7!

He's happiest playing football but obviously he can't do that all the time!

Tia

A hint of cockiness, obviously!

Bump

Another bump!

Please give me some advice, I don't know what to do.

I suggest the book "raising boys" can't remember who it's by. It went through different stages of development. IIRC around 6 or 7 they do start being more influenced by factors outside home (playground etc) and also sort of exploring male identity a bit - is he better with his dad if he's around? This is only from memory so I may have got it muddled.

IME this is a prime age for bullying and playground politics at school - boys with older siblings or a bit of a rougher home life might well be acting like this and it's rubbing off on your DS - don't be surprised if some hair-raising swear words come up!

Assuming there isn't a problem at school or a family issue, I would suspect it's a normal part of growing up. Try to find some fun things to do (maybe blokey things like going out mountain biking or playing football) that are a bit more grown up.

I have two boys 8yo and 10yo - the lovely little boy inside them is still there and makes an occasional appearance. The last few years though I have often felt like Horrid Henry's hard pressed mum - Sorry!

Raising Boys

Trust me you are not alone or doing anything wrong!

Your DS is not a baby anymore. Children seem to change suddenly from one stage to another sometimes and it can take yu by surprise.o You have to adapt to this new phase and deal with it as it changes. Let him know what is and is not acceptable without letting yourself get drawn into the drama.

Often children start to see inconsistency in their parents at this age. Noticing you say one thing and do another so they react My nephew is going through this at the moment and my sister feels he has changed into another child!

It's not even gender based ... at age 7 many children start to realise grown-ups are just taller people not magic and all knowing.
...up until they need some comfort.

Of course they don't have the social skills to assert themselves or the awareness that older children have so can come across as cocky or stubborn.

If you pull him up on rudeness and even talk with him and explain how the way he says things could come across then that will help enormously.

raisingsteam thank you for your supportive response. I have heard of that book so will have a look.
Definitely true about him being better with his Dad!

All of what you say rings true

squizita what you say makes a lot of sense too! Cocky and stubborn are certainly in the current zeitgeist

I asked him earlier today of there's anything he's unhappy about and he said that he wants more time off school!