My daughter is 7 1/2 and she’s almost regressing in some of her behavior and independence. She all of a sudden wants my help with everything! All stuff she knows how to do, and used to like doing on her own. Getting dressed, brushing teeth etc…She’s been super clingy as well and just need my full attention ALL the time! She also wants one of us to sleep with her and lie down with her every night, which before she would go to bed completely on her own after reading. I’m not complaining, I’m just a little worried because she used to be so independent. Has anyone else gone through this?!
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Maybe someone outside the home made her uncomfortable something happened. Our babies don’t know how to just tell us straight forward something is wrong. If she isn’t being her self, you know your baby and saying you have a feeling something is off.
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Just some thoughts! Missing friends,want to spend time with y’all, bullying,keep a good look out for who plays with her or where she spends the me away from the house with others, nightmares or bad dreams . Have a talk with her, mama. It could be a lot of things going on in her little mind that she don’t know how to express. Is she a only child and maybe wants a little playmate all the time. You just never know.
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Could be a sign of abuse or something stressing her out maybe school or something happening to her that she don’t understand sit her down and maybe ask her what’s going on or are you okay and I know what situations like this kids don’t necessarily need your help they just want your help just know that you got their back
Regression at 7 like this could be caused by a lot of things…the first thing that comes to mind is Big changes: A parent starting a new job with different hours. The approaching school year. A new sibling or a new sibling on the way.
My kiddos have regressed here and there and it’s almost always in conjunction with big changes in their lives.
I started a new job after being a sahm for years and the clinginess is on a whole other level
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Hi hun, currently dealing with this atm with my 10yr old. There’s a lot of developmental stuff going on at this age… more vivid dreams, more vivid imagination, more complex though patterns that they’re learning how to process. It’s a big feelings age for some kids as their minds start to think about an awful lot more. Throw in any kind of school, friend, home issues and that can all impact too. Truthfully I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless you’re concerned there is something more serious occurring in which case absolutely follow up and investigate all that. But for ordinary circumstances, patience and persistence.
So for us…nights are about choices… I can either put a sleep story on and they can listen to that to help calm or I can sit with them for a while until it’s time for me to go to bed. I’m happy to be present if I’m needed, but I do hold the boundaries that I can’t stay up all night. She will either want to listen to a calm story or if it’s a rough night, I’ll stay with her for about 20-30mins.
For what it’s worth, under ordinary circumstances, this does pass for most kids as they adjust.
Has a younger sibling arrived on the scene?
Has there been any changes a baby a job different class
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Has there been any changes at home? New baby, individuals moved in or out, issues between you and others in the home, moved homes/schools, ECT? That would be my first question and if yes to any of these then that’s likely the problem. If no then it could be anxiety over school, gaining more independence causing fear of loosing (not having you to do for her) you or similar. Have a conversation with her and ask her if there’s something bothering her. Reassure her you are always there if she truly needs you but are so proud of her and her abilities to do age appropriate activities by herself.
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Nora She is five. There are times that she literally acts like the baby. She is youngest child. Does she have other siblings? She might feel that she’s not getting enough attention. This is a tough world for children as well as adults.
Lifestyle change? It’s really hard for us to say without knowing you or your situation.
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Something is happening! Red flag also is there a new baby ?
Find out maybe someone is abusing her!
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If there is any life style changes that will happen
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Have she experienced any changes in her environment?
Like , moving , new siblings, a divorce , people close to her moving away , routine change etc .
Also , could be a sign of abuse
She may be in pre puberty. Best to consult her dr.
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Those are immediate warning signs for abuse physically and or mentally !! Be aware if you don’t know of dramatic changes in life but child has they events unfold be very alert and alarmed !!
Due to age I would be concerned !!
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A lot of things can cause regression.
- Changes like new family members, loss of someone close to her (not necessarily death, friend moved etc) starting a new school, moving, less time with a parent or caregiver etc
- Abuse/bullying
- Realization that the world is a scary place. (seeing something scary on tv, witnessing something stressful, hearing about a scary event)
A house caught fire near us a few years ago. My daughter saw it. She was scared to sleep without me for about a month, was always checking on me, wanted me around her constantly. It was a little rough but as soon as she started to feel secure again she was independent again.
Sounds like she is trying to stay a afe with you. What is new in her world?
7 1/2 year old son and we’re going thru the.same.thing. I literally could’ve wrote this myself.
Right down to “mama help me wash my hair!”
I don’t get it.
The biggest thing that changed in his life is now I am home with him everyday instead of working everyday, but September is coming and he seems to grasp that concept. (I’m a teacher. I don’t work in the summers)
And as far as people saying abuse, I could kind of see it MAYBE except I am with him all.the.time. He hasn’t been without me once this summer so far and when I say without me I mean I’m standing outside the bathroom door most days because we just need all the reassurance!
He’s an only child. Me and my husband don’t want anymore children. We’re very content as a family of 3. So it’s not like he’s got to share attention with others at all.
He stopped going into kids church at our church weeks ago. We’ve been there years and it’s been the same people consistently. There’s even cameras in the rooms. Sometimes it’s even my parents running the kids service. So I’m 100% confident it’s nothing there. We’ve had play dates but only ever at our house and have stayed by the pool. With parents present. He sleeps in a cot in our room literally 6” from my bed. He now makes me pull the cot over so it’s flush with my bed on the one side and he’ll still jump in my bed in the middle of the night which was something that wasn’t happening for almost 6 months. I just don’t understand what’s going on.
I’m just trying to love him thru it and remind him I’m here and he’s safe.
My daughter is 9 and still clingy to me
Has she had some sort of Change in the family! Or some sort of trauma… bullied at school? This sounds like she maybe has some issues she wants to talk to u about, or maybe she is just lonely 
Somethings going on. Someone’s hurting her
Sexual abuse!!!My grandmother discribed this as me at that age and she started asking lots of questions !!! it was a family member!!!
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Maybe on some level you got used to her being so independent that you stopped being present… she might just be missing being cared for.
Ask her if she is struggling.
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New baby
Big change
Disability or neuro divergent
Assault and/or trauma
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Talk to HER…not facebook…
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Sounds like trauma to me anything happened to your child ?
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Top three things I can tell you could cause this… you’re pregnant or recently had another child. She’s being abused by someone. There’s been a big change in your home environment.