Aidan is 6 and takes everything you say over the top. If I ask her to turn the volume down on the tv she takes that to mean down all the way and then pouts. If I get on to her for misbehaving she will go off and pout and start saying she's not pretty. If we are in the grocery store and this happens she starts dragging her feet and sometimes will try and go off and hide. This concerns me safety wise of course because I can be walking along and suddenly she's not there. She seems to overreact to everything this way. She can't allow herself to make a mistake and learn from it, she thinks she's stupid. It is getting really annoying that I can tell her one thing and she hears something completely different.

I keep reaffirming her in that I tell her all the time she's beautiful. We spend time together. She's my big helper. When she makes good choices I praise her. I try not to yell when I'm getting on to her. I just don't know how to curb this behavior in a positive manner. kwim.

Is this just a phase or maybe something else???

Probably part phase, part attitude, part temperment. Just keep spending time with her and giving her attention that isn't connected to bad behaviour. Another thing...I would cut out the pouting. That's a discipline thing. I have a boy and 3 girls and girls are talented pouters..lol. I wouldn't let her get away with that, it's disrespectful to you and it will just get worse. I know, since I let it go too long. As far as the pretty thing, we tell our girls they are pretty but also stress that it's important to be as pretty on the inside as on the outside. Her saying things like that is an attention getting ploy in my opinion. Don't be too worried abut it. Maybe try being more specific when you tell her to do something, turn down the tv 5 clicks, etc. :) Sounds like you are doing fine, girls are just like that sometimes. :)

My oldest is like this and is 9.5yrs old and I am still waiting for him to grow out of it lol my dh secretly says he is a drama queen (I say secretly because we have never told him this) I have tried everything and nothing works so I am now teaching him to handle his feelings, to not automatically assume the worse, like when told to stop talking right now isn't the place that does not mean no one likes to hear you talk, when told its not nice to hit someone don't go storming off because we don't like you and don't won't to play with you, I honestly think its to turn things around to poor pitiful me since it normally happens when I correct him on anything, it get frustrating especially when he might do something really bad like get mad at his brother and hits him and then he gets upset and storm off that we hate him??? I call him back in and try to explain things that we don't hate him and try to make him see that he isn't the victim, they have to learn they can't turn things around and make it about them, its helping to call them back in when they do storm off, and I also discipline if he get mad in the store and wants to storm off because I feel this is serious for safety reason, hopefully she will grow out of it but if not then just teaching her how to handle things has been helping us :)

I remember Gracie going through something similar when she was around that age. She seemed to take things really personally (and still does sometimes) and show some attitude. I let her know that the attitude would not be tolerated and that she was to respect mommy and daddy. But I made sure I praised her when she was well behaved and obedient. I always tried to say things throughout the day to make her feel special and feel good about herself. I think that age is hard for young girls because they are leaving the toddler - little girl behind and heading into the bigger girl stage. They seem to struggle more with their emotions and self esteem. Maybe take some extra time with just her and have a mommy/Aidan date. Make sure she understands that you were once little like her and dealt with similar issues/concerns and just let her open up to you. :) I think bonding with our girls, especially at a young age is so vitality important. :)

I also liked what Jen had to say about being specific. Kids like it when we tell them exactly what we expect from them. ;)

Sarah, I'm seeing that Aidan isn't liking her will being crossed. Let's take the incident of the tv. When you tell her to turn down the tv, she needs to turn it down somewhat and ask you if that's ok. If she turns it down all the way and pouts, then I would put that in the rebellion category and deal with it accordingly. Aidan is hearing your instruction and reacting with a "Fine. I'll turn it all the way down and I will show Mom I don't like it." She's attempting to send you the signal, "Don't cross me."

Overreacting, pouting, running away, hiding, and connecting something personal i.e. "I'm not pretty" to your instruction or correction, are things that would seem to me to be in the rebellion category. In fact, even voicing "I'm not pretty" to something totally unrelated kind of seems manipulative and creating a diversion from the topic at hand.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I don't really see this as a phase, but behavior that needs to be curbed pretty quickly. This type of thing will look much worse at age 15.[heart]

Madre, you mean Sarah?

Again, I also think this is something that depends on the child imo. Just use your best judgement, Sarah. You know if this is something out of character or if she is just pressing you to get her way.

Madre, you mean Sarah?

Again, I also think this is something that depends on the child imo. Just use your best judgement, Sarah. You know if this is something out of character or if she is just pressing you to get her way.

You're right, Becca. Thank you. I saw the "Butter" and thought, "Amber changed her avatar". Sorry, Sarah. :(

Thanks ladies. I appreciate all your advice. Definitely encouraging to hear it.

I was thinking about this on and off all day. I agree with Madre and Ashlee. I dont pander to the manipulation thing, I do what I can to correct that sort of behaviour in my children. It gets challenging when they get older too. I have one with the same sort of behaviour and now she is a preteen and its getting rather challenging. What I did at that stage (when she was 6ish) I did what I could to nip it in the bud by not pandering to it, noticing when it was going on and correcting situations as she tried to manipulate. Like what Ashlee said, I would turn the tv off and leave the room. I would even call her out on it. Id explain to her what she was doing and that I wasnt going to allow that kind of behaviour, it was going to accomplish anything. Its one of those things they can try to easily deny. They arent out breaking windows, slapping anyone or any other overt behaviour. Manipulation is subtle, but it is what it is.

Does she cry a lot to get her way?

No she never gets her way when she cries. She is just doing a lot of pouting. Her feelings are always hurt.

My Aidan is going thru a stage where if people laugh when he does something cute or silly he gets upset and screams stop laughing at me! Then he'll say everyone hates me. This is so new to me, none of my others did anything similar. Just strange!