Hello!

“I have a very ungrateful 6 year old daughter. She complains about everything, makes her 2 year old brother cry all the time by teasing and tormenting him, doesn’t appreciate it when we buy her things or allow her to do things out of the ordinary (like stay up late on weekends to watch a movie with us). She nags me for things all the time, can’t take no for an answer and doesn’t follow instructions like tidy her room or brush her hair. I’m at my wits end and stressed which is not ideal as I’m 34 weeks pregnant. I feel as if I’m constantly screaming at her. Any constructive advice would be appreciated from other mums.”

Posted by Stephanie, 18/03/13

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  • Sounds like your average kid. You could try giving less to make her appreciate more. If they have lots or get what they want a lot they tend to be blasé about things


  • Applause, attention and reward for positive behaviour and ignore negative behaviour. Or you could do pocket money connected with a reward chart. Any positive behaviour like packing your bag, brushing your hair, tidy her room is rewarded with for example $0.10 and any negative behaviour, like whining, teasing brother, talking back results in $0.10 off the balance.


  • Hope her behaviour has improved. Could she have been acting out because there was another baby on the way?


  • No treats or special treatment unless she does as told ~ ie keeps her room tidy. If she teases her little brother, take something away from her for a few days. She will soon learn right from wrong.


  • Hopefully she will grow out of it, one of my sisters was like your daughter, it passed.


  • Try not to get too stressed about it. Hopefully it was a phase and has passed by now.


  • My daughter has been like this for the past 2 years :( speaking to other mums at school, it seems to be pretty common from around the age of 6 or 2nd year of primary school.


  • Be really hard with her. No more toys, treats etc. when she asks why tell her. Even take stuff away.
    Tell her that her brother will get bigger and get her back. Tell her all she is doing is teaching him how to be mean to her. I told my son this and now my youngest gets him back. My youngest is 3 so it won’t take long and he will be giving as good as he gets. Makes them think twice.


  • Set up a rewards chart …. so when she does things she get a star and a treat of something she likes to do or eat. I think she maybe feeling left out and maybe you asking a 6 yr old to do too much.


  • How are you going now?


  • I think it is normal to tease the younger sibling, hope you have had some helpful advice here.


  • Has any advice below helped?


  • U need to say no and not give in. I tell my daughter there are kids out there with no food so don’t winge to me that u can’t have something in particular …. in saying that my daughter is very appreciative!


  • Hope her behaviour has improved! :)


  • Be really hard with her. No more toys, treats etc. when she asks why tell her. Even take stuff away.
    Tell her that her brother will get bigger and get her back. Tell her all she is doing is teaching him how to be mean to her. I told my son this and now my youngest gets him back. My youngest is 3 so it won’t take long and he will be giving as good as he gets. Makes them think twice.


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