So do boys get a hormone surge between 6 and 7? Please tell me they do...

[Dottydot]

Ds1 was a stroppy 2 year old, a whingy 3 year old but has been a wonderful, funny, blossoming 4 and 5 year old. Being 6 however is turning into something completely different - he's sulky, shouty, bursts in tears and marches into his room at the slightest thing. Nothing's ever right or good enough. Now I'm prepared for this when he becomes a teenager, but please tell me there's a few more years in between when they're supposed to be contented little ponies...

There is a surge of testosterone at about 8 years but this may happen earlier, depends on the child. My ds is 8 and cries because I give him chocolate. It helps them if they do alot of sport as they have a release for the hormones.

Yes. I remember starting a thread on here called something like "Does something happen to them when they turn 6?" when ds1 turned into a stroppy teenager almost overnight. It does get better.....eventually.....

He's now nearly 8yrs and so far there haven't been any more teenage strops.

Don't tell me we're due for more of the same when he hits 8, Avenanap!

ds is small for his age, he's the height of a 6-7 year old, I have been told the hormones kick in at 8, maybe she said this because ds is 8?? They didn't last for very long though, a few months. He's alright now, didn't get angry though, just cried alot.

Oh God, wait til they get to around 10/11.

My ds is a total nightmare at the moment, which I'm putting down to prepubescent hormones clanging.

I'm rapidly turning grey and developing a very nervous twitch.

Oh yes, between 6 and 7, and between 7 and 8, and between 8 and 9, and between ......

I'm looking for a nice boarding school to pack ds off to when he's 13 , I might make it a bit sooner, I'm going to see how it goes.

He's lovely and wonderful of course, but driving us BONKERS. Has taken to winding his little brother up mercilessly (which is shockingly easy to do...) and loves it when ds2 is reduced to a screaming wreck.

Sports - yes, he loves them and we're trying him on a sports day during the holidays for the first time. He's also very shy, but he wants to have a go and we're keeping fingers crossed he likes it - will be worth the £9 a day to maintain some sanity...

I thought the hormone surge was between 4-5. You mean there's worse to come? Please tell me you're joking, right?

I think it depends on the size of the child and if it's a boy or girl. Big boys probably go through this earlier, every child is different and we are all probably talking about the same surge so don't worry. Just go with the flow.