4 year old girl…. WTF
My daughter is almost 4 and I am genuinely shocked. I feel like every time it seems like it can’t get worse- it does.
For some background, she can be so sweet and empathetic. She is wonderful at daycare and Sunday School when she is in a classroom setting without us. When she is just with us though (Mom and Dad) at home or even out in public, all hell breaks loose.
Transitions are hard, I get it. Hearing ‘no’ is hard. But everything results in a screaming meltdown on the floor. Asking her to do anything she doesn’t want to do is like pulling teeth and always results in whining and tantrums. I know we are her safe place but it seems like anyone else I know with a girl of similar age does not experience tantrums quite to this level?
I do think she is very sensitive. She doesn’t nap so is likely exhausted, she gets overstimulated. Maybe some sensory stuff. She is for sure a ‘deeply feeling kid’. But I feel like our life is just made up of constantly trying to talk her down from a tantrum or get her to stop screaming. I try to hold boundaries and follow through with what I say. I try to feed her healthy and limit screen time. Am I doing something wrong?! She truly seems like the most difficult preschooler I know, to the point where I’ve stopped hanging out with a lot of friends with 4 year old girls because I’m embarrassed about how mine acts. She plays great with other kids and is super social and sweet, but as soon as I have to tell her no or make a transition, she freaks out.
I feel bad for her because I know she has really big emotions that she doesn’t always understand, is probably so tired and overstimulated at the end of the day- so I get it. But I also feel bad for us as her parents to pretty much deal with constant screaming and a ‘difficult child’. I’m scared this is going to affect our relationship with her.
Is this normal? If you experienced this (with a daughter specifically), what helped? When did it get better? Please, I will take any advice I can get 🥺
She is starting play therapy soon to help learn some emotional regulation, but I’ll take what I can get until then.