9yo daughter regressing and scared of growing up.
My DD (9yo) has been regressing in some ways socially and emotionally.
I’m a single father, probably have her 70% of the time. Mother and I get along as co-parents but she doesn’t give a lot of emotional support and is kind of a mess. But daughter has been talking to me a lot about not wanting to grow up and doesn’t want to leave childhood behind.
A few examples are her asking me to tell people she’s 8 instead of 9, wanting to wear her dress up Belle dresses out in public like when she was 5-6, back to watching Peppa Pig all the time, wanting to have toddler style clothes and shoes, doing baby talk more than normal/usual, and some other signs just in her behavior.
The conversations we have about it, she gets very emotional and starts crying and sobbing. I don’t mind her watching Peppa Pig at all, it’s good content, and I let her wear her Belle dresses out for errands the other day but she then wanted to wear it the next day and has asked a couple more times in a week. I’m all for having fun and not caring what others think, but coupled with the other things I’m seeing I realize it’s part of something bigger going on. When we go to the toy aisles, she’s going to the toddler stuff now all the time.
I’m thinking this is just a phase and she will get over it, and I’m being as supportive as I can and just talking to her about how every stage of life is a good one and that I’m proud of her for how far she’s come with her schooling and everything.
I’m just curious if anyone else has dealt with something similar, how did you handle it and how long did it last.