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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Very difficult relationship with dd (6) need advice

21 replies

unicorn · 23/02/2006 10:18

Have always had a 'troubled'time with her (not just me but dh too) she was a classic bad birth/screamy baby/extreme tantrummy toddler.

Now she is turning into a belligerent, antagonistic, and often very defiant 6-7 year old.

Her behaviour has always worried me - but recently she seems very troubled ( is shouting at us a lot, won't cooperate and sometimes appears very unhappy)

Appears to be doing ok at school - and that doesn't seem to be the issue.
She is complaining of growing pains a lot so that may be related.

Her bahaviour is making us all (including her brother) upset and tense.

Any ideas as to what we can do to improve things - the problem is quite a deep one though.

OP posts:
jennifersofia · 23/02/2006 10:26

I am sorry, not advice but sympathy. I also have a hard relationship with my dd (eldest, 5 yrs). She is so defiant it feels like she is a teenager already. I wish I had an answer for you - it is difficult. I just didn't want your thread to disappear without a trace.

unicorn · 23/02/2006 10:29

thanks - what works for you?

OP posts:
Earlybird · 23/02/2006 10:53

Will be watching this with interest, as we have elements at home too, with dd who is just 5. Hope someone with some good ideas posts soon!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

unicorn · 23/02/2006 10:59

Are there any MN child psychologists? I feel her problems are deeper than just normal developmental ones IYKWIM.

I really worry about her, if she is having problems with life, now, at 6, how the hell will she cope later?

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Sparklemagic · 23/02/2006 11:58

Unicorn, my sympathy to you and your family, it must be horrible.

I'm not a psychologist but have worked with children and families for a few years. Not saying I can give advice but might be able to point you in right direction for some. Few questions: you say she seems very troubled and appears very unhappy: have you had a sort of sit on bed having a cuddle, gentle chat and asked her why she is so unhappy? What does she say if so?

You say she is fine at school, so it does appear this issue is to do with family relationships. When she is defiant and unco-operative, what have been the sorts of things you do?

unicorn · 23/02/2006 12:33

she says things like we love her brother more than her (he is a much easier child, and very much the peacemaker in our family)

She is probably too much like me (rather volatile and excessively sensitive) and she pushes all those buttons that 'get' me.

We have tried all sorts with her when she is like this, from being extra nice, to ignoring to shouting - nothing seems to work, it is almost as though she has to go through these 'episodes' as a form of her own stress release (IYSWIM)

She is a bit Jekyl and Hyde like too; when she is not being horrible she can be lovely - it's just we are having many more horrible incidents than nice times.

Unfortunately it is difficult for us all to remain aloof to it - it feels like she is hell bent on being destructive within the family.

(we tried family therapy when she was younger - the therapist was awful so it didn't help)

OP posts:
Marina · 23/02/2006 12:37

Unicorn,
Have you tried giving any of the techniques in the brilliant How to talk so children will listen a go? Even if you are concerned this goes beyond the normal defiance and antagonism we all see in our six year olds at times?
I know at least one other Mner who is left gaping at some of the things her dd of this age comes out with sometimes, so I hope she sees this thread too...

unicorn · 23/02/2006 12:41

not sure which techniques they are Marina, but believe me we have tried so many different things over the years with her.

It's almost as though she has an inherent negative streak - which makes her very difficult to parent.

She probably sees us getting on with ds so much easier and translates that into we love him more.

OP posts:
batters · 23/02/2006 13:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklemagic · 23/02/2006 13:04

Hmm. This is obviously as you say a deep one to sort out. I don't think MNers are going to be able to sort it during a few posts but the main thing I want to say is that NOW is the time to completely open your mind to ideas and suggestions.

Otherwise, as people I meet through work do all the time to me, you'll simply feel "nah, tried that, it won't work" and i think this mindset 'seeps' into your whole attitude and subliminally your brain accepts messages that this isn't possible to change.

Usually when things are this bad it's because a downward spiral has started, it's so easy for families to do this because of the fact that kids often are 'sponges' for atmosphere and will give back what they get, but double it for luck! Then quickly people find the positive times have all but disappeared.

I'm sure there are lots of things you could do to help, lots of little strategies but maybe it needs to be in a more organised way in order for you to feel in control of it? Try approaching your GP for family therapy, I KNOW you've tried it before but try another therapist and bear in mind your daughter is older now so things may be different.

the fact that she can sustain things at school makes me think that this problem is about the family, not about her. Try to think of it that way - not that she has behaviour problems and her brother doesn't - it's that the family has a problem getting along together sometimes.

If it was ever felt that these issues were to do with her particularly your GP would be able to refer to the local Child and Adolescent mental health team so there is deeper help, or should be.

I still think though you can get there with her. I think the key is trying to turn every interaction with her into a positive one and to give her some one to one attention with you and your DH where you focus on her in a positive way.

Just a thought, maybe a silly one but trying to help, would you be able to be a classroom helper in her class for a morning to see her in her positive environment - might be a key to a little inroad of positivity for you with her!

I would just try things like this alongside asking GP to refer for some family input. If it happens though, definitely make sure BOTH kids know it's about all of you, not about her. And personally I would present it as someone helping mum and dad to keep the family happy.

Sorry it's long but wanted to try to help, obviously you'll have lots of opinions on here so go with your gut on what's right, won't be offended if written off as load of rubbish! one thing I find on here is that on the same issue there are one million ways of attacking it. The main thing is that you can't go wrong by TRYING to address it, better than not trying!

Sparklemagic · 23/02/2006 13:05

batters, loved your post, what a sensible mum..

Marina · 23/02/2006 13:11

Yay batters! I am expecting 24/7 hotline access to your expertise when dd graduates from flinging used pull-ups around...

Earlybird · 23/02/2006 13:18

batters - read your post with interest. Can you be specific and tell us how the new calmer you responds when dd is rude and belligerent? The behaviour must be acknowledged/responded to in some way as unacceptable shouldn't it? Ignoring it seems to somehow say it's ok.....

Would love to hear some alternative positive/constructive ways of responding...

batters · 23/02/2006 13:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

unicorn · 23/02/2006 15:25

thanks for all the thoughtful suggestions.

Keeping calm is probably key, and something I really need to learn.I probably escalate the problems with my reactions sometimes.

We probably will end up back at the GP's - but it took such a long time to get referred last time, and I'm sure they don't regard us as having 'genuine'problems - like many other families do.

Sparkle it's so true what you say about the downward spiral, it's almost like we need to reprogramme our thinking about her.

Since birth she has been 'difficult' and we automatically fall back into that viewpoint... self fulfilling prophecy?

How to reprogramme tho?

OP posts:
shimmy21 · 23/02/2006 15:49

Hi unicorn I have a ds a bit like your dd and some of the things you've said struck a chord. I want to disagree first that an apparently fine child at school means school is OK and home isn't. Our ds finds friendships hard work at school but has never ever 'shown' this to his teacher. When we talk to teachers they always say his behaviour is impeccable and he is popular and happy. We can always tell when something is going on at school because his behaviour at home deteriorates drastically (rude violent aggressive etc) and it turns out eventually that he's fallen out with someone or he doesn't like music lessons!

Second I know what you mean about reprogramming your responses. We found that we were spirallling into a negative critical response to ds. He'd do something irritating and we would moan to each other (God, he's so naughty, agressive whatever) and get cross with him. We have agreed never to moan to each other about him and have made a massive effort not to be critical of him. I read somewhere that you should praise 3 times for every no or don't that you say. We try and it has made a massive difference -not necessarily to his behaviour, but to how we feel about him and his behaviour. It's worth a try if only to make it easier to keep smiling!

rummum · 23/02/2006 15:51

I've just started doing a parenting course...
[as in attending it, not running it ]
we have homework to do with our children every week.. things like, playing with your child individually for 10 to 15 minutes every night and praising our children, Tonight is going to be my 3rd week... I'll let you know what my homework is...
Maybe there are parenting courses near you that you could go on... Your HV may know of one....

Anyway good luck....

mousiemousie · 23/02/2006 15:51

If you and your daughter are similar in personality this is a really common cause of friction in families!

You will need to work a lot on your reactions to her as if you react in a volatile way when she becomes volatile it is no suprise that the mix is explosive! And in all fairness changing your own behaviour first is more realistic than expecting dd to change first!

Not to say that dd's poor behaviour is your fault, it's not, it's that the interaction between you isn't working too well by the sound of it

batters · 23/02/2006 17:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bumpsy · 04/03/2006 20:25

My dd is 6 and quite volatile sometimes too.I read a book the other day by the same author of Toddler taming called beyond Toddlerdom (how to keep 5-10 year olds on the rails)And found one part really helpful which explained that there are different types of personalities and how to deal with them.My daiughter came up as oppositional behaviour you know the type will argue black is white just for the sake of being awkward and it said just avoid all confrontation and give choices like saying "Tidy Your Room and they refuse You just say "OK well you can choose not to tidy your room but that means you choose not to watch tv tonight"or something like that!!!Anyway it did seem to have an effect and sort of explains some behaviours.I hate it when all I hear about is how my dd has fallen out with yet another person at school as I can imagine she is toatlly the same with her friends at school and that she will end up with no friends at all!!

JanH · 04/03/2006 20:40

I'm afraid I have no real advice for any of you with your stroppy little girls, but I hope this information might help; DD2 was the stroppiest madam alive 90% of the time - from birth - her favourite expression was scowling, she would never back down, black was always white or vice versa (in fact we used to actually have that very conversation with her - "you always say black is white" "I never said that!"), she did fall out with friends a lot but not as much as she fell out with us etc etc etc.

She and I used to have the most horrifying ballistic confrontations throughout her childhood, which I am quite ashamed of now but she used to drive me to despair.

But she is nearly 21 now and although we still have moments where she will go off on one, she is a lovely and popular girl and very appreciative of her family.

unicorn, I'm not saying necessarily she was as difficult as your DD but I did used to feel just as hopeless and desperate as you are sounding now...do you have any input from her teacher or parents of friends? Only DD2 was wildly popular with all of these people - she used to save up her horridness for us. If that sounds familiar then all I can suggest is that you appreciate her moments of niceness and try not to over-react when she is impossible - a tall order as I know!

(Her name is Frances, we used to call her Frannie when she was little- on one very memorable occasion one of us said something like "frankly I'm sick and tired of this behaviour" and she screeched "don't call me frankly" Grin)

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