Rude 5 year old

[JoLIW]

My 5 and a half year old daughter is behaving very badly at the moment - she's very rude, flies off the handle at the slightest thing and has many tantrums. She seems very angry and is rude to her parents and siblings. We are at a loss as to how to improve her behaviour. At the moment she's on a weeks TV ban. She had a school friend round for tea today and and spent about three quarters of an hour scremaing as her picture kept going wrong. We've had no reports of bad behaviour from school. Any ideas?

Ooh sounds like my little madam. Ill watch this thread with interest.

A weeks ban on the tv sounds a bit long. You may give in or have a week from hell with her. Try instant bans like taking a toy for the day or no treats naughty step, ignoring bad behaviour etc.

I have also bought some reading books for my DD on how to deal with her temper. It helps them recognise and understand thier feelings. Im hoping it helps!!!

Good Luck xxx

Our dd's behaviour became vile when she started in reception class at school aged 5, and learnt all sorts of new ways to be rude to us ! I felt I didn't know how best to handle this during most of her reception year, which obviously didn't help, but it was quite unexpected and a quite dramatic change. We sought the help of a family therapist when she started year 1 and have found this helpful (mostly I go alone but dp has been also, that really helped. It was never our intention to take dd along too). Generally I'd say the situation's much better now, which I think is a combination of me and dp dealing with dd better, dd maturing, and dd settling into school. I also have a friend whose dd behaves like an angel at school then comes home and really lets her parents have it ! I think it's quite common for children to put all their effort into behaving well and conforming and paying attention at school, so by the time they're home, they're exhausted from the effort of that, and also home is a safe and secure place for them to let all their emotions out - which is a good thing !, though it doesn't always feel that way ! Good luck to you and I hope there is light at the end of this particular tunnel for you.

Ignoring her behaviour is impossible as it is impacting on her siblings and I have to resort to locking myself in the loo to be able to "ignore" her. Today her behaviour has reduced me to tears of desparation.

ahh the loo. Well i actually put my DD in there if she kicks off. Its the only room where she will calm down. The naughty step is just a game for her.

She will scream, kick the door, threaten to climb out the window if she could reach it, then cry and then apoplogise and become calm.

JoLIW, I do recommend talking to a family therapist if you are regularly reduced to tears of desparation. I spent a year like this before I sought help and I wish I'd done it sooner. Maybe it would have taken the same amount of time for dd to settle into her new life and mature a bit, but it was the feeling of being so out of control that got me down. I do sympathise with you, I remember all the times I arrived at school to collect dd and as soon as she saw me she would rearrange her lovely face into a furious scowl !

Thanks for your comments. It's good to know you're not alone and I think I will take the advice about seeking help.