Hi,
I have 2 children DD 6 and DD 2.
Dd 6 is loving and enthusiastic and bright but also extremely hard work and highly strung. It is difficult to make her happy, she has enormous meltdowns and her emotions are always bubbling close to the surface, often coming out in chronic grumpiness.
I hate that I am bringing her up on her behaviour all the time but I can't let it slide. I try not to shout as she seems v sensitive to any criticism but i will talk to her and then stop treats Etc but seems to bw falling flat. Some examples of behaviour from today:
- After 11hrs sleep woke up naturally and was grumpy and didn't speak to me. Warmed up after about about 45 mins.
- huffing all day, moaning about what music in car, what dinner we're having, what's on the telly, what her friend said, that I've brought the wrong thing for swimming and having meltdowns about each (and many, many others)
- shouted at her friend, I pulled her to one side to say: i won't let you speak to your friends like that and she deliberately trod on my foot
- threw a small booster seat in the car which hit her sister in the face (was accidentally but if you throw a booster seat in the vacinity what do you expect)
- threw her cardigan at my face which felt aggressive
The school don't think she's SEN but I'm not convinced.
Whether she is or she isn't, does anyone have any tips on how to handle this kind of behaviour?
I currently: try to stay calm, say what the behaviour is that is wrong and where necessary ask for an apology. If she continues I will threaten treats. If she's awful we go home. And if it goes on for hours I do shout and get exasperated.
She often shouts back at me: Stop shouting (when i am not shouting) or puts her fingers in her ears.
She's lovely at school and with grandparents. Eats sleeps and exercises.
I'm exhausted and would welcome any parenting tips. It's really unenjoyable and I feel like I am on her case the whole time which is rubbish but her behaviour is not okay a lot of the time.