I am worried about one of my 8 year old granddaughters, as is her mum, my eldest daughter.
She is not a happy little girl. She has no real friends, she sometimes plays with the other girls in her class, but is sometimes left out. No-one wants to come on playdates with her and she doesn't understand why. She is getting on ok with her academic work and is no trouble in class.
At home she doesn't settle to anything unless it involves watching tv, which is restricted. She has dancing lessons which she enjoys but just does enough to get by, when she could do so much more.
She is always saying how bored she is. She tells my daughter that she is not loved and doesn't want to live there. She is so loved by everyone and my heart breaks for her.
At times she is almost manic and it is hard to calm her down.
Ever since she was little she has appeared to be in her own world some of the time.
I know her other grandma has raised concerns with my daughter. Her father, my SIL, will not hear any of this. He thinks she is fine.
She has two younger sisters, she is very good and kind with the baby but on occasions her and the second daughter fight, as sisters do,and the younger one gets hurt, but she will never admit that she is in the wrong and becomes almost hysterical even if what she has done is an accident. I witnessed this last week when I stayed with them. I was almost in tears at her distress.
I don't know what to do or say to my daughter to help. I don't want my granddaughter labelled but I do think she needs some kind of help.
I welcome any comments. Thank you for reading.