8Yr. Daughter W/attitude

You might think about planning a girl's treat for just you and she. I have a 9.5 year old daughter. I have really enjoyed planning a couple of times where just she and I went and grabbed an ice cream or went for a walk together. She may just need more Mom time and doesn't realize it. Either way it makes a good connection. She may have some friends mistreating her at school. I've explained to my daughter that her body is changing as well as growing and it requires a lot from her to make it all work. We do daily vitamins, exercise and fresh air. Also I have a book called "What are you so grumpy about?" that's a funny book. We've read it before many times (not when she's grumpy). Then if I need to lighten things up a little I'll quote some parts of the book.

Blessings to you!
L.

You've gotten some great responses, but I think I would go ahead and take her to the pediatrician for a check-up. She could have mono or some other hard-to-discern issue going on, and you wouldn't want to ignore it. Lots of viral infections are subtle but make a person tired and cranky.

I would also consider the possibility of changing hormones, although she is young for that.

Since it's a significant change from her usual behavior, I would definitely go to a doctor. Hopefully, you'll find out something and it will be easily resolved.

Hi. I have an 8 year old daughter too and can relate. If she acts cranky and tired for more than a day, it is usually because she is not getting enough sleep or she is about to get sick. This past week, she is a little more stressed than usual because she is in 3rd grade and has to take the TAKS test in about 10 days. They are gearing up for it at school and she's feeling the stress and she reacts by being impatient and being more emotional than usual. When this happens I make sure she is eating well and I make her go to bed earlier than usual. I also make sure she has down time and I tell her how much I love her. It seems to help.

I second (third) the TAKS and growing... and I'd take her to the park or something and play with her until she remembers she's 8, and not 18.

TAKS SUCKS. High stakes = HIGH STRESS, and no child needs that hanging over them.

S.

(10 years in the public school system teaching everything from special ed to Calculus and Chemistry - becoming a nurse!)

As others have noted, wait until the TAKS is over and see how she does. Kids grow unevenly. My middle son didn't seem to grow for a long time probably somewhere around that age and then suddenly grew 4 inces in one year. If she is in the middle of a growth spurt, coupled with TAKS the poor little thing is just worn out.

Vitamins are always a good suggestion. Also, girls are maturing earlier. By the time my daughter was 8 I don't know how else to say it, she didn't have a little girl's rear end anymore. Long before they hit the teen years the hormones start making changes and this is exhausting too.

I was a third grade teacher for quite a while, so your question triggered a memory for me. I had a child who was large (heavy and tall)for her age, and seemed to be developing as well. She could be giddy-silly, or morose, tired, and weepy. Not much fun in class on those days! Mom and I had numerous conversations about her, and after tracking her mood swings, she was definitely having a monthly hormonal cycle. I have heard for years that our enriched American diet is causing children's bodies to develop/mature sooner than they used to, and I tend to agree. Also, if it is time for the TAKS in her class, she could be absorbing a lot of the stress that goes with that. Test anxiety can be a booger!
Keep a calendar of 'attitude' vs. school events for a few months, if it keeps up. Moms often figure things out long before doctors do!

Stacy makes a good point. I aubstitute teach and ALL they talk about is TAKS TAKS TAKS.

Your daughter is about to take her first set of TAKS and is it scary for 8 yr olds. Gees, it is still stressful and scary for my 14yr old 8th grader.

Assure her that you know she will do well on the TAKS and do just do her best. You will love her no matter what.

Also, for a while around that age, my daughter seemed moody all of a sudden. After about a week or so, we figured out that she was at her worst mood, etc when her blood sugar was low. It was amazing what a little glass of juice or piece of fruit would do to the moods.

Good luck

My son went through a phase like that in kindergarten. I tried putting him to bed early, but it's hard to get to bed much earlier than 8:00 and he was getting 11 hours of sleep. After lots of trial and error of different things, I started giving him flinstones vitamins with 100% of the iron he needs. He's not a big meat eater, so I think this may have been his problem. After a couple days with the vitamin, he was back to his normal self and eventually did well with an 8:30 bedtime instead. Even now, if I forget to give it to him for a couple mornings, he starts going through all that crankiness again until I start giving it to him again. He had anemia problems as a baby, and I have always had that issue too.