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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

7 year old boy behaviour

13 replies

puddle · 16/03/2007 11:45

My ds is just 7 and I am finding him very hard work at the moment.

He is a lovely boy, very bright and has always been quite sensitive. But at the moment we seem to have really emotional outbursts every half an hour - he gets frustrated and tearful at the drop of a hat, also gets angry very easily - he has a short fuse atm.

He can be extemely self critical when he's finding something difficult and gives up very easily (I think, like me, he's not used to finding things hard and needs to be taught perseverence but I have no idea where to start with that one).

Is this a hormone thing? A phase? How can I help him manage all these strong emotions?

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Original poster

puddle · 16/03/2007 11:59

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ArcticRoll · 16/03/2007 12:21

puddle, you have described my ds.
It's exhausting isn't it?
I notice it's worse when he's tired.
I think my ds is finding the whole playground experience quite difficult.
He goes to a massive junior school and finds playtimes a bit overwhelming. He also is a bit 'lost' in a class of 34.
I think he loses it when he comes home as he's finding school so tough.
I'm hoping it's just a phase.
Other friends with similar aged dss have said that they are experiencing the same emotions.

amynnixmum · 16/03/2007 12:32

Puddle

Ds has really high expectations of himself and this can cause problems at home and at school. At school they use a picture of a ladder and ask him to put a star on the rung that corressponds with the amount of work he thinks he can get done in a certain lesson. This is usually how many lines he can write in litracy. He always aims high and then his teacher and TA chat to him and get him to lower his expectations of himself to a more acheivable goal. This seems to work well at school as he generally manages to do the amount they've agreed to.

An important thing is to stay clam when dealing with him, I know from experience how hard this can be but any display of emotion from you could make things worse.

It is common at this age though and someone mentioned to me the other day that boys quite often have a surge of testosterone at this age.

Original poster

puddle · 16/03/2007 12:39

It sounds ridiculous written down but I think I perhaps expect him to be more mature than he is IYSWIM. At the moment he seems as much overtaken by his emotions as he did when he was a toddler - obviously he doesn't lie on the floor drumming his heels but we do get quite extravagant displays of door slamming, flouncing, shouting etc.

He has also woken up in a bad mood every day this week, which is very rare. I wonder whether I need to give him supper immediately before bed?

I think you're right about the tiredness Arctic - ds keeps sneaking torches into bed and reading under the bedclothes so I have to remember to go and check he actually is asleep.

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madmarchhare · 16/03/2007 12:40

Testosterone surge t a guess

Original poster

puddle · 16/03/2007 13:05

Gosh, isn't it always the testosterone surge though MMH!

I need to work round these surges because they alwsy seem to be a factor!

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Original poster

puddle · 16/03/2007 15:51

any more views?

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MrsBoo · 20/03/2007 17:19

Hi Puddle - I just saw this today, and I am having the same problem with my DS (7). Very sensitive, and floucing about like a teenager!
I wish someone had some really good advice to help him (and me)

cornsilk · 20/03/2007 17:22

My ds (8) is always like this when tired or hungry and always after school when letting off steam. It's hard work!

RainbowWalker · 20/03/2007 17:31

Definitely agree it's when they're most tired and hungry, was usually straight after school when my 3 ds's were about 7.
Year 2/3 work is more demanding than early KS1 and my own ds3 was a lot like your ds and had high expectations that led to lots of frustration.
A day at school could really take it out of him mentally somedays... (seems to be coping much better now he's in yr 4)

Mine usually like to go out for a kickabout with a football straight after school or just have some chillout time playing out with friends... but only after a snack to boost the energy levels!

theshrimp · 20/03/2007 18:00

Puddle. you have described my Ds (7) to a T. He is easiely moved to tears of frustration, is over sensitive to the actions of other children and is MUCH WORSE when hungry.

Original poster

puddle · 21/03/2007 09:21

Thanks for the recent messages. I have been experimenting with giving him supper and that seems to have foiled the early morning grumpiness. he is eating a lot at the moment so I have also upped the amount of food in his pack up at school.

He seems to have been on a more even keel over the last few days. I have been trying to say 'no' to things as little as I can and that seems to be helping - have been picking my battles.

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MrsBoo · 21/03/2007 12:56

Wow, I hadn't really thought of it being related to tiredness or hunger - so I can't wait to try these things. My DS has real difficulty getting over to sleep, will lie and read for hours, or listen to music but still wide awake. Will try feeding him up with loads of carbs.

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