What do you do with a child (6.5) who has a problem with EVERYTHING?

[frumpygrumpy]

My DD1 is wearing me out. She has a problem with everything in life.

Socks, pants, shoes, hair, poos, bed, meals, friends, school, teacher, drawing, maths, reading, ballet, swimming, getting dried, drying her own hair, having someone else dry her hair, going to friends, not going to friends, doing homework straight after school, doing homework after tea, doing homework before bed, being asked if she'd like to help cook, not being asked if she'd like to help cook, the list is limitless....

We have a deal that if she stops getting out of bed in the night, I will take her to the pet shop and she can choose 3 goldfish. She asked for 4.

Its mental torture. I'm packing my bag.

[chopster]

Is it a back to school thing? It sounds like she is tired and ratty because of it. My older two are both driving me nuts atm, they are in dreamworlds and won't do a thing they are told. I'll pack my bags and join you.

Btw, I'd have said, right two fish, any further negotiations?

[MarosaParks]

Remember the mantra FG...........

This too shall pass..........
This too shall pass................

[Twiglett]

put her in a large cardboard box, seal with gaffer tape, poke in airholes and ship to deepest, darkest Peru

[chinwag]

lol Twiglett

[Twiglett]

[chinwag]

Hey Frumpy, don't go.....

It is SO hard to battle every day, and exhausting. Keep going. I think the key is firm consistency. Also, imo not too many choices. ie 'I am doing your hair tonight & that's the end of it!)

She knows where the line is, and wants to see whether she can step over it.

Mind you, I aint no expert..

[inamuckingfuddle]

oh FG sorry to hear this, dreading the moment my DTs hit this age and even worse - what about when they're 13? Deep breaths and plenty booze

[singyswife]

Think it must be their age. My dd2 is more or less the same. Everything has to be questioned and argued about. It's the whole attitude thing too. AAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGYHHHHHHHHH. Never mind they will grow up eventually.

[frumpygrumpy]

very rude of me to post and sashay away without so much as a glance back! Thanks for the comments. I was hoping for a happy spell in between toddlers and teenagers!! I'm going for heavy on the gin and mellowing through it Ta again.

[notolerance]

Totally know what you mean - how do you handle it though? I'm crap at staying calm & always seem to sink to her level & act like a child myself. I always end up losing it with her & then either shouting or smacking - then the horrendous guilt sets in but the same will happen tomorrow

[frumpygrumpy]

I'm aiming for finding the path of least resistance i.e. only drawing a solid line where absolutely necessary. I figure the less to rebel over the better.......

I'm also a big fan of learning consequence.

My dd1 didn't get organised for school as fast as she should have (moaning about sore feet, sore shoes, socks having a line on them that wasn't in the right position ) so I left the house, started without her. She came flying out with more complaints. But with shoes on. And she did come flying out

Good luck, its very very hard to stay patient and sane. But, ultimately, I want to tuck her in at night with a happy heart not a heavy one. So I stop and think, stop and think, stop and think. Every time before I dish out something I regret (and I have regretted).