My darling 5 yr old gd is sweet, kind, polite, well-mannered, thoughtful, caring, bright and generally everything her doting gm could wish for.
Until overtiredness invites the Gremlin in.
I see her sporadically (they live overseas) so part of this is a mea culpa for not spotting the Gremlin waiting in the wings. I’m better now after a week or so and manage the situation better so she doesn’t become overtired.
But am I naive to be shocked by the Gremlin’s horrible ways?
She shouts, demands, kicks, punches, pulls - ignoring normal requests is the least of it. Attila The Hun would have fought Alexander The Great tooth-and-nail for the privilege of having her in his crack senior team of despots.
She truly does seem to be a different person.
I do what her parents wish (always) - time out principally. Removal of privileges seems a bit off-kilter for a grandmother but I do sometimes remove a book or whatever. It then becomes a control battleground. If possible, I call in the parental cavalry.
My motherhood memory is that 5 to 6 is the age of control, and learning when to let it go.
Is there anything else I’m missing?
Comments, thoughts, advice welcome please.
which is not a bad thing