I'm sure (well, hoping) this is all normal but she's my oldest so a newcomer to the teen stage!
Dd1 is 12 (13 in May), Year 8. She's always been a lovely child, well behaved, easy going, generally a pleasure to have around. But I'm noticing more and more lately a bolshy attitude. Muttering under her breath, acting stand-offish/haughty, backchat, VERY easily annoyed with other family members for example eating too loudly, swinging their legs etc. She can be quite nasty and hurtful to dd2 (11) at times, although they generally get on well.
We went out to eat last night, we were in the car waiting for her. Dh tried to hurry her along (in a nice way) and by him just doing that she got in a real mood which lasted into the meal.
I'm just seeing a side to her I don't like. Please reassure me this is just a phase and she won't grow into a horrible person!
She's quite a closed book and doesn't open up to me that much, so I try and spend some time with her alone, e.g. watching some telly together. Sometimes she wants to and sometimes she doesn't. She often looks like something is bothering her but won't tell me what and I don't want to hassle or pressurise her too much. Normal teen angst?
My instincts tell me just to let her know I'm there for her and to hang around in the background...but how do you deal with the attitude??