My 12 year old daughter is my oldest child (I have 10 and 7 year old boys).
My daughter has always been strong willed...but now it is out of control....I don't know who she is anymore. She used to be so loving, kind to others, cared about others, never put others down, hung out with the good kids...
but it's all changed..is this normal?
she is suddenly (and it did happen over night) self centered, concerned only for herself, hates being with our family...I was ready for the attitude...I think what has me so upset is how self concident she now is. She is so full of herself, puts other people down, makes fun of them...she thinks any guy who looks her direction is "checking her out"...she's cute...but come on?
she now has a best friend that is nice...but has been known to "kiss the boys" too early in life..and has a strong potential to do a lot more w/ the boys than girls their age should...
My daughter and I no longer have the relationship we once had...she wants nothing to do with me, she wants nothing to do with my advice or what I think...
I was expecting some of this as she got older...but it's really a lot..and a lot earlier than I expected...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Sounds to me like she has hit the dreaded teens. If I cast my mind back and remember how I was at that age it sounds similar. My Mum wasn't cool and boys were my first thought. Just be there for her as a friend, my Mum in the end stopped the hard parenting, put her trust in me and became my friend. I told her everything and listened to her advise and not once did I ever go off the rails, A lot of my friends were jealous of our relationship when they were forever getting grounded and sneaking out the window because my Mum new exactly where I was at all times. When I talk to her now she said it was the hardest thing she ever did but it paid off for her.
It probably has got something to do with her new friend, My friend at the time was the same, I was jealous of her male attention but I was never like that I think it was because I didn't want to let my Mum down.
Just be on her side give her the knowledge of your experiences, if she's good deap down then it will resurface.
Thanks..I appreciate it...and I do need to let my guard down..I do remember that age also...but my parents were no longer together and my mom was a newly single mom, and had a lot of her own personal life stuff to deal with, so I had the freedom to do what I want...so I know whats out there, I know peer pressure..and I just want to give my daughter some of the freedom, but with guidance...if that's possible..she's such a good kid at heart, I don't want her to stray too far and never come back to it...
