Need to reconnect with 7 year old DS

[ilkleymoorbartat]

He's really pushing boundaries. I feel like we're 'on ' hIm ALL THE TIME.

He takes on what we say at the time, but then I forgets it immediately. So we're constantly having to repeat ourselves and it's so tiring and boring for all of us. Plus it's making mine and DH tolerance pretty low.

There's general backchat attitude, and an answer for everything. We've gone over rules very clearly with him and his younger sister but it's just not gojng in.

What else can we do? Immediate consequences? Today I switched the tv off straight away when he was mildly rude to me about something. I didn't say why, he knew. More of this?

Also feel like we need to lovebomb, but can both strategies work together???

Taking all this on board, thank you for all the book suggestions and tips.

New slate tomorrow. I hope I've not messed him up 😢

My 7 is making me crazy just now as her older siblings did at the same age! We always say that wobbly teeth make kids ghastly...

Reading your post has reminded me it's a stage & the two things that really helped with my older ones (& which I'll start with 7 tomorrow) are
-setting a hug "schedule" on my head - hug before, between & after all the meals, they're so independent now there is less physical contact but they still need it.

-to assume the best of every comment . 7 yr olds are pretty clumsy in their social interactions but verbally fairly eloquent so it's easy to take offence at their rudeness when it's really just poor phrasing or them thinking aloud.

One of her siblings needed everything repeatedly constantly & is still quite like that, to get though first time I had/have to make physical & eye contact before I start speaking - he's in his head all the time.

it does get better!

Wow, this resonates so much with me and my 6.5 year old DS at the moment. He is rude and full of back chat/antagonising behaviour as soon as he doesn’t get his way, or if he is bored, or if the day has a Y in it. I wonder if he’s truly a happy child at the moment as I don’t see how someone can be so unpleasant for what feels like no reason, and be happy in themselves. He also does not listen, everything has to be repeated and his response to being reprimanded is to give more attitude. I have been punishing left right and centre but I don’t think it’s making any difference.

I feel that rudeness is a non negotiable behaviour too, and that’s why he’s been getting so many tellings off/consequences.