Do all 10yr olds act like this?

[Lovemyshoes]

DD1 (10yrs) is a very bright girl and doing exceptionally well at school.

She is however wanting more independance, which, I totally understand.

We have set her little tasks like making tea, toast, cheese on toast, sandwiches etc, but, she cannot do any of these without messing about, playing with the margarine, eat more cheese that she puts on toast, doesn't watch watch she is doing when making drinks.

She does not seem to listen to ANYTHING that DH or I say to her and often comes back within a couple of minutes having totally forgotten what we have asked her to get/do.

What really concerns me is that when walking home, rather than watch herself across a busy road she would rather look round and see/listen to what other people are doing.

I want to let her be able to walk to school with her sister (7) on certain (very rare) occasions, but don't think she could.

It's concerning me also as she is due to go to high school next year.

Is this a phase, do most young children go through this?

she wants independence not chores

you need to teach her road safety she should know by now but i suppose she's a head in the clouds type

tell her that when she starts to act responsibly she can have more independence

I should have added that the things like tea, toast etc are things that she has asked to do and I think she is of an age when she should.

I have tried telling her about watching and concentrating on what she is doing time and time again, she has even had road training from her school.

If she has just started doing these things, it's normal that she's a bit clumsy and slow about it and forgets what to do half way through.

She eats so much cheese that she gets 'cheeze freeze' ie sweats eg and feels sick and then realises there is not enough cheese left for the toast.

ok. Don;t ask her to make cheese on toast again. That is obviously a mistake.