October 16, 2015

Smart & Sassy 6 year olds - The Terrible 6's

6 year olds have attitude? Is there something called the Terrible 6's? This is common behavior in the six year old but not frequently talked about. This behavior usually emerges around entrance to kindergarten and lasts for 1-2 years. It is characterized by a "know it all" attitude, high self esteem, talking back to adults and the belief that they can do anything.

This stage of social emotional development occurs because of the tremendous growth in their abilities at this age. They are feeling increasingly smart from all the learning they are doing in school and from the attention they are receiving from teachers and other adults. They are reading, spelling and learning a lot about the world around them. They feel smart and therefore, act smart.

This stage is not really a negative time but parents do have to get a handle on their sassy attitude and the talking back. It is important to be consistent with discipline at this stage and set clear guidelines about unacceptable behavior. Your child will quickly learn that they will receive more positive attention from you if they are respectful of you and others.