Do five-year olds have hormones???

[DisneyLovingMama]

Cause it sure seems like my daughter is hormonal! Constantly crying, going from happy to despondant on a dime, etc., etc. I know there's a lot of things going on here, with her dad leaving and some other stuff, but I don't even know how to respond. She had a full-blown meltdown today because she accidentally got marker on a card table I'm using in the dining room. Or, she'll meltdown because she can't watch TV, or eat what she wants.

Probably even more concerning, she also gets really down on herself - how ugly she is, how silly she is, how weird she is. I keep telling her she's smart, beautiful, funny, cool and just wonderful. But, she doesn't seem to hear it. I don't even like to reprimand her, becuase she takes it so much to heart. She's even hit herself to "punish" herself.

On the other hand, she also knows that if she cries/melts down at school, they won't tell me things because they think she'll get in trouble (she gets sent to her room for a timeout, not even anything worse).

I get so worrried, cause I don't want her to grow up like I did, with no self-esteem and being afraid of not pleasing my parents all the time. But, I don't know how to instill esteem in her (I'm just finding my own). She's very physical (hugs, kisses, etc), but I also don't want her to equate love with physical affection, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for letting me vent....

 

[Barb D]

and more for both of you.

And yes, even the most well-adjusted 5yo goes through mood swings. DD12 says DD6 is "Emo."

 

[canwegosoon]

Does she sleep? Is it at all possible that she has sleep apnea? My son used to get high strung and hyper at times.

But I also have a son that has a mustache(he is 7yo...I swear) so yes I could say it is possible...could you call the dr and ask him. Also if there are school counselors at your daughter's school they might be helpful.

 

[DisneyLovingMama]

I don't think she has sleep apnea, but I have caught her awake in her room, hours after she went to bed. She just lays there and "thinks". The stuff that comes to her mind is, well, mind-blowing. She worries about EVERYTHING! Whether she put her folder away. Whether I remembered the chips for her Valentine's Day party. She does have night terrors and I've evaluated her dreams and they are scary! She obviously feels abandoned by her dad and is worried about me.

I had her seeing a counselor a while back, but I wasn't comfortable with her (neither was DD). I guess I'll have to find someone else for her. I just worry that at her young age, a counselor will create more problems than solve. DD is VERY impressionable.

::sigh:: I just wish I had a magic wand that could make it all go away. I hate that my little girls has been through more in her 5.75 years than most people have been through in their entire lives.

 

[canwegosoon]

Lack of sleep can do awful things, and it sounds like there is a lot going on...so I would say it is not hormones...it sounds like she is having some problems. I would talk to the Dr about a counselor if the school one gives you the creeps. What about having a friend over for a "sleepover" or until 9pm. Usually having someone else around helps a kid feel normal...with girls I would make sure I invited 2-3 different girls(one at a time) so that a girl with a powerful personality doesn't dominate her. Good Luck.

My boys recieved a group type of counseling as part of their summer program at school, and I think they enjoyed it.(They are reading and speech delayed)

 

[dmslush]

I would find another counselor. She sounds like she is just overwhelmed with everything that is going on around her. She might suffer from some sort of compulsion issues when it comes to thoughts, like she can't turn her thoughts off so that she can go to sleep. I am like that. My mind races all the time, and it makes it difficult to fall asleep. I do relaxation breathing to help keep the thoughts out of my head just so that I can fall asleep.

 

[barkley]

kids react to stress totaly differently than adults.

my son was around 6 when i suffered 2 strokes (6 months apart). one occured during the night and as a result his sleeping habits got realy bad (in his mind if he was awake he could prevent bad things from happening), another happened when he was at school and as a result he would CLING to me when i did drop off (he did'nt want me out of his site during the school hours-he was fine doing it during non school hours). he never verbalized it but his behaviour went all out of whack (he also became very emotional while he was dealing with it).

i think a counselor is a good idea, but it has to be someone she is comfortable with. the thing with not being able to sleep because things keep running through her mind is exactly what both dh and i experienced during high stress points (it can be like an anxiety attack). a counselor may suggest that she sees the pediatrician for a very mild anti anxiety med on a temporary basis so she can get to sleep until she learns some stress recognition and reduction techniques (not addressed it can totaly throw off your ability to fall asleep short of outright exhaustion).

hugs to you and your dd.

 

[Otimon]

Sounds like she's crying out for help the only way she knows how.

Seek out a good counselor who specializes in dealing with children.

Best wishes.

 

[mickeyboat]

Cause it sure seems like my daughter is hormonal! Constantly crying, going from happy to despondant on a dime, etc., etc. I know there's a lot of things going on here, with her dad leaving and some other stuff, but I don't even know how to respond. She had a full-blown meltdown today because she accidentally got marker on a card table I'm using in the dining room. Or, she'll meltdown because she can't watch TV, or eat what she wants.

Probably even more concerning, she also gets really down on herself - how ugly she is, how silly she is, how weird she is. I keep telling her she's smart, beautiful, funny, cool and just wonderful. But, she doesn't seem to hear it. I don't even like to reprimand her, becuase she takes it so much to heart. She's even hit herself to "punish" herself.

On the other hand, she also knows that if she cries/melts down at school, they won't tell me things because they think she'll get in trouble (she gets sent to her room for a timeout, not even anything worse).

I get so worrried, cause I don't want her to grow up like I did, with no self-esteem and being afraid of not pleasing my parents all the time. But, I don't know how to instill esteem in her (I'm just finding my own). She's very physical (hugs, kisses, etc), but I also don't want her to equate love with physical affection, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for letting me vent....

I have two girls, 5 and 6. Occasional melt-downs and mood swings are typical for my girls. But compulsive behavior and excessive worrying are not.

I would definitely try to find another counselor that you both feel comfortable with. I have been told it may take a couple of tries to find the right one.

Hugs,
Denae

 

[VSL]

I'm pretty sure we have hormones from birth..