I have a daughter who is 7 this year, every time I try to play games with her I can never do it right. She gets frustrated at me because I say the wrong things with the toys or I move them the wrong way. Then it even sometimes ends with her in tears because she just doesn't like how I play or she gets frustrated because I keep asking her what should I say. She's much happier just playing with her little sister or just reading or doing crafts. Should I keep trying to play with her or just let her do her own thing? This has been going on since she was 4.
6 Replies
I think it's good that you don't play her way! Do you think all her friends play the way she demands at school? i think this is your daughters problem and she needs to learn that when it comes to play, different people are going to do things in a different way and aren't going to say and do the right thing.
I think by continuing to play your way, you are teaching her a really important life lessons that
A) she has to compromise in friendships/play/relationship
B) she isn't in charge of how others do things and she is going to have to play/work with people who do things differently to her
C) rhat crying because someone didn't do as they are told or her way doesn't work!
You know what? I think you are totally right!
She was an only child for over 5 years so she's never had to play any other way.
But she does get frustrated at her school friends when they don't want to play what she does and I tell her that she needs to play their way sometimes and not expect them to play what she wants to all the time.
Please don't let her get mad at you when she doesn't get her way. When she talks to you rudely when you play, stand up straight away, tell her you will not play with her if she is rude and walk out the door. She NEEDS to learn that she can't always have her way. My daughter (who needs to learn to stand up for herself ) has gone through years of hell at school with girls who always want their own way and are rude to the point if bullying if they don't get it. You don't want her to be one of those girls...
You sound like such a good mum, honestly. Maybe next time you're playing say to her "I know my way isn't the same as yours, but you know what? That's what makes life interesting. You don't know what I'm going to say next, so it will be exciting!" If she got the shits after that I'd leave her to it. Next time she asks you to play remind her that you have different ideas to hers.
Thank you so much. I will do that :)
I could have written this word for word, my 6 year old is the exact same. If I do something wrong in the game all hell breaks loose. He has been like this for as long as I can remember. Only with me and his dad though. At school he has no issues! No advice but will be following the post.