Thank you so much for taking the time to open up about your parenting question. Reaching out for support and guidance is always an amazing step to take when you feel confused or bewildered by a child's behaviors. It might not feel like it right now, but you are certainly doing a great thing to help your daughter confront and overcome this difficult time.

Have you spoken with your daughter to rule out the possibility that she is being bullied at school? Being picked on can often make a child feel lonely, unwanted, and isolated. We aren't saying this is the cause of her sudden change in behaviors, but it is definitely worth looking into. Also, addressing whether or not she has been inappropriately engaged by any peers or adults in her life is also worth looking into. Don't be alarmed, as this is just a precaution. Asking her, "Sweetie, has anybody been doing anything to make you feel uncomfortable? Have they touched you in ways that you didn't feel comfortable with?" Ruling out possible causes will help narrow things down a bit.

Have you taken your daughter to speak with a counselor or pediatrician? Often times the best form of parenting is seeking out services to get treatment when a child's behaviors are outside of your parental capability. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help, as families do it every single day. If there are no external causes for her behaviors, then there may very well be internal factors which are currently playing a role. A counselor or pediatrician could help identify these underlying causes.

Hopefully you find these suggestions to be helpful and give you some steps to consider taking as you move forward to help your daughter right now.

Boys Town National Hotline
1-800-448-3000