Replies to 'Single Parenting'

 
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October 16, 2005, 3:54 pm PDT

Single Parenting

Quote From: downey6977

My daughter's father is not in her life at all.  It comes in and out of her life and I think this is very hard on her.  He abused me in front her on several occasions.  She sleeps with me everynight b/c she will not sleep by herself.  She will wake up crying.  I leave the light on or the tv on for her and it doesn't help.  I have said something to the other grandmother but it doesn't help.  They let her have her way on everything.  She tells them when she wants to take a bath and go to bed.  Not them telling her.  It is very hard b/c when she comes back, if she doesn't get her way then she whines.  Hope this gives you some more info.

How old is your daughter? (rhetorical)

How old are you, the parent? (rhetorical) 

  

How old are the grandparents? (rhetorical) 

  

Why are the grandparents letting her do whatever she wants? When you entrusted your child to them, is it fair to assume that you have put them in charge of your child, and not the other way around? And if you know that this is going on while you are not there, and you know that is causing the behavior problems, why then are you still allowing them to treat your child like this?  

  

I'm sorry if that sounds snide, but that is the honest truth. You are the parent, you take control.  

  

On to something else you mention. The abuse that went on, and the inability to sleep with out you there... In terms of psychopathology (mental illness, irregularity if the word illness scares you) children are much different from adults in their expression of some things. So, it is hard to say what/why but there is almost certainly a link between the abuse and the sleep problems. (e.g. Post traumatic stress disorder... a common cause of chronic sleep disturbances). However, before running off to a child psychologist saying some undergraduate psychology major said to see you, if you haven't already, ask why she can't sleep alone. Not whether she wants or needs to sleep with you, but why can she? There might be some explaination (e.g. monster under the bed or something). If this is not the case, then seeking professional counciling might be nessicary.   

 


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