Would you be worried about this diary entry?

[Dancergirl]

Dd3 is 9.5, youngest of 3 girls. She can be a bit naughty at times and has a temper but nothing disastrous, she does well at school, has lots of friends and seems happy.

She started keeping a diary recently. The other day she had it out on the kitchen table and I knew I shouldn't have looked but I did. It was mostly pretty tame stuff, what she did at the weekend, children in her class etc.

But there were a couple of entries that bothered me. One she wrote when she had a temper tantrum about something, saying she hates her family and wants to die

Another was a list of swear words she knows including fuck, sex/sexy, bitch. Probably picked up from the playground or her older sisters I suppose but I didn't think she would know these words so early.

I'm more worried about the first one tbh, dh says she was just over-reacting when she was angry.

Should add that the early signs of puberty are there so she's probably full of hormones.

I used to write stuff like that in my diary, I even went as far as writing a horrible note to my mum so she could read it when I died or ran away from home I also used to make up random crap like kissing boys etc....none of it was true.

I agree with your DH.

The context matters - you know your DD.

But are her entries definitely cause for concern? I don't think so.

The swearing, certainly not. She'll have heard it in the playground.

Saying she wants to die? Does she mean it - she may not, it could be just she was so angry she wanted to say something shocking. Or it could be cause for concern, it's hard to tell.

It must be hard to read something like that, but it could well be nothing. If it was me I'd definitely not admit I'd read it, but make sure I'm spending with her, be open if she wants to talk, just keep an eye, really.

My eldest often opens up to me at bedtime, if I think there's maybe something up I get into bed too at bedtime and have a chat about just random stuff, and sometimes we'll get to whatever the issue is.

Is there any situation your DD tends to open up to you?

it could be just she was so angry she wanted to say something shocking

I THINK it is probably this. She is very close to me, we have cuddles and a chat most evenings before bedtime and actually gets a lot more of my undivided time than her sisters as I drive her to school and back every day.

Sometimes she does get a bit anxious, can't sleep sometimes, worries about being the last one in the family still awake and won't entertain the idea of sleeping away from home be it a sleepover or school trip. They go away for a weekend in March and I know she's worrying about it, she doesn't want to go but doesn't want to miss it either.