hi, just wondering if anyone can help.my 5 year old little girl is becoming a little horror. she has got into the sulking stage when she is told she cant have or do something, not only that when i try to talk or compromise with her when she she sulks she doesnt talk. she just looks at me and gives me the silent treatment. how can i distract her from doing this. when she does do it do i just walk away and leave her to it, or do i disapline her in some way for doing it. i have tried to talk to her when she is in her silent mood but still she ignores me. can anyone help.
Your heading says "my 5 yr old is ignoring me" and I thought you may feel extra bad if you thought people hear were ignoring your post!!
I have a daughter and she is 8. To be honest it sounds pretty normal! Her sulking started at 3 though.....its not easy to know what to do for the best, but if I were you I would not make too much of a fuss about it or give her sulking too much attention. I usuaully used to say something like "ok, you are in the huff and want to sulk. Mummy is very sad about that because I always like to see you happy but Mummy understands and when you feel ready to speak to Mummy then come and find me and we can have a chat."
She may get fed up of being in the huff but the key thing I think is not to make too bug a deal of it.
Children LOVE sulking (over pretty minor things usually) - I can remember brother practising pulling upset faces in the mirror to magnify whatever injustice was annoying him at the time.
Agree totally with Karen999 - Just make sure when she is being nice and not sulky to pay her lots of attention, otherwise you may end up in the trap of her using sulking as a power tool to get mums attention. (I personally wouldn't try to compromise too much when she starts sulking iether, or she'll end up with the impression that stomping her feet and grumbling is a good way of getting what she wants)
Ignore it. The more attention she gets from sulking the more she'll do it. My 3 YO is just the same, she has replaced tantrums for sulking, I just let her get on with it and after minute or two she comes back. Once your child has finished sulking then you should be able to communicate with her.
Don't give into her just because she sulks, ignore her and let her come to you, then you can discuss the problem. She needs to know that sulking is counterproductive and a complete waste of time, the sooner she gets this message the sooner she'll stop doing it.
