Over the last few months Hubby and I have noticed a difference in Little Bean and more prominently, she has noticed a change in herself. Little Bean has always liked her own space, to relax, read, watch TV and play with her toys. Her current toys of choice are her ‘large dolls’ she loves to dress them up and do their hair, she likes popping them into their pushchair and taking them for a walk, she spends ‘a lot’ of time with her dolls and a lot of time thinking about what her dolls can do and things that she can make for them. Her imagination for her dolls is endless!
There has been one word which has been mentioned by either Hubby, myself or Little Bean when talking about her quite often . . .
‘Emotional‘
We have noticed that she has been more emotional than usual, obviously being a girl amongst three boys you do tend to notice her emotional tendencies a little more but she has been very highly strung in recent months and will often tell us “I feel really emotional and I don’t know why?”. The upsetting thing is that when she tells you this, you can see the confusion in her face. She just doesn’t understand why she feels this way and as a Mum I feel heartbroken for her.
I have asked her all of the obvious questions; Is there something playing on your mind? Is everything ok at school? Is there anything at home which is bothering you? Each time she responds with “no, I don’t know why I’m upset, I just keep crying?”
To me this yells of hormones but she’s only 8 years old and I thought this was too young. I have looked on the internet, of course, it’s the go-to place isn’t it? It says that puberty can start anytime from 8 years but I honestly don’t remember this with myself. I know I was quite a late developer myself and Hubby tells me that he was a late developer too so surely it stands to reason that the Beans will too, won’t they?
In the short term I have spoken to her teacher to keep an eye on her. She hasn’t really been ‘on it’ since she started back at school in September. She hasn’t settled as she normally does and will often tell us that she feels she is struggling at school. Her teachers tells us differently; she is doing well, has had a few little upsets with friends but nothing major, she has become a little lazy with some aspects of schoolwork but again, nothing which really stands out.
We have also noticed that she feels tired so often. She used to wake up around 6am at the same time as the boys but more often than not we now need to wake her at 7am to get ready for school. She isn’t eating breakfast very well and yet this has always been her favourite meal of the day.
What do I do next? Do I take her to the Doctors?? She isn’t ill so will they look at my like I’m some kind of neurotic mother??? I just want to find my happy girl again xx
Ah poor LB. I think it absolutely could be hormones. My eldest started behaving in exactly the same manor when she was 8 and like you, the ‘I want to cry but I don’t know why’ ripped me in two, she has since been branded a ‘cry baby’ by her classmates as she struggles to keep it under control. Over the last year we have had ‘tummy pains’ that show a distinct monthly patten in their occurrence and the beginning of physical changes in her appearance. I have sat her down and had ‘the talk’ but she freaks out ‘I don’t want to grow up yet’. So hard for them and for us as their Mummies x Sending you and LB lots of love x x x
Perhaps my Mum would tell me differently but I don’t remember this aspect of my hormones. I remember when my periods began but as I said, I was a late developer and I kind of assumed that LB would be too. She was really late getting hair on her head, growing teeth, losing teeth but this just seems to make sense to me. She is so changeable at the moment in her mood swings and I can see how much it frustrates her as much as anyone else. I have bought a girls and boys “What’s Happening To Me” book from Usborne which is really good at explaining it all to them so we have started reading that together. I think I might have to buckle up though as it could be a bumpy ride! Good luck with your girls xx
Your not alone my lilly is exactly the same, she randomly just bursts Ito tears for no reason ? Xxxx
It’s upsetting as a parent isn’t it, although I fear this is just the tip of the iceberg for the next few years :-/ xx