The day I posted was a very bad day and she was ill the next day. Today is a good day so I am questioning my perception a bit. When I mean torturing her brother, it ranges from randomly kicking, pinching, running across the room to grab his arm to attempting to smother him with a pillow. She doesn't stop when she is the mood to torture him. We have to pry her away. She seems either gleeful about hurting him or like she has been pushed to her limit. Although there are times he intentionally pushes her buttons, in the instances I'm speaking of, he isn't aggravating purposely as far as I can tell- he just happens to be in the same room with her. The violent language seems normal from listening to her friends except that DS takes what she says seriously and her friends don't. So perhaps the language issue and the physical attacks should not be grouped together.
She is home for the summer (usually in school two days a week) and, now that I think about it, it has been progressively getting worse as the summer goes on. She does not do well with self-amusement and I am wondering if maybe she needs space from her brother but is just not willing to go a room by herself. She developed a fear of being alone this summer and doesn't want to go the bathroom, fetch something from the closet and so forth if she has to do it alone. Also, many mornings, she stands in front of me scowling "Where are we going? Who is coming here or are we going to someone else's house today?" We do about three playdates a week and if we are not scheduled to see someone that day- she's not happy.
As for TV and outdoor time: We watch science shows, Cyber Chase, and Fetch primarily. We are outside in the morning, afternoon and sometimes go on an evening walk as well. I have at least a craft project everyday for her.
Last edited by sparrow; 08/07/12 02:43 PM.
