Your little angel, who used to love spending time with you, suddenly becomes sullen, moody and shuts her bedroom door. Sound familiar? You may be wondering where your daughter has disappeared to. You’re definitely not alone. It’s a familiar complaint with mums everywhere. Don’t worry though, you can survive this phase. Just remember, like every other childhood stage, it will pass.
So, what is happening?
We’ve all heard the word ‘hormones’ thrown about the place when it comes to describing teens mood swings. However, hormones really are to blame for the vast majority of changes taking place in your tween.
Hormones are responsible for the physical changes that go hand in hand with puberty such as breast development and menstruation but they also cause emotional and mental changes.
It's not just mood swings that are causing this behaviour, the changes that are occurring during puberty can be challenging, making your daughter feel self-conscious, confused or even embarrassed. Her body is changing and she is also struggling with wanting more freedom and just wanting her parents.
What can parents do to help?
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you find your moody tween doesn’t want to talk to you. This is perfectly normal and all you can do is be there for her.
- Try to give her a little space but let her know that you once went through the same thing and that you are there for her should she ever need you.
- Even if her concerns seem silly or trivial, try to listen and never dismiss what she has to say.
- Your daughter at this age needs a lot of sleep, but often she won’t get as much as she needs. Encourage her to go to bed early. Proper rest and sleep is essential in keeping mood swings at bay.
- Exercise is also essential as it can help boost her mood and take her mind of any worries she might have.
- Peer pressure can start to become an issue at this age so it’s a good idea to get to know her friends.
If you find yourself despairing about the loss of the polite, obedient daughter you seem to have lost try to remember that this is just a stage and she will return to the polite and loving girl she once was,
