My 9 year old is such a 9 year old at the moment. Sometimes I get frustrated by the arguing and negotiation and wonder what I was like at this age. I wish I could ask my Mum some days, though I suspect I was a little less argumentative because I had older sisters (practically extra Mums while I was little) and had been coached to obey, no questions asked. I have to keep remembering I’m parenting a child in a different generation, with different life experiences and a different personality than I have.
I read this article over at Hey Sigmund and remembered again that yes, children go through different stages of development. Sometimes it feels like there is a 3 year old in our house, then a teenager, but I know that’s typical development too!
At times, during arguments with our 9 year old I do stop and think about my clients and their families.
There are families I have worked with who long to hear their children talk, no matter what that might look like. Sometimes a child starts talking, often with ‘no’ and protests as some of their first words. Sometimes I get the report ‘I just can’t shut them up’ and then I know that things are on the right track. It may seem a weird thing to say, but I hope that your child is able to argue and negotiate with you. I know that for some, just being able to hear their child argue and negotiate would feel like a real blessing.
If you think language difficulties are what stand in the way of that happening in your home, I’m happy to help. I can assess where your child’s language skills are at and guide next steps. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.