Any one out there dealing with their child cognitively analyzing their stage of development as they are going through it?
She is aware that she feels like a female like me, but she doesn't look like me physically - I have a woman's body and she has a little boy's body. This is painful for her. We are not going to dismiss her struggles as too adult for her young brain, since she actively burdened by them. MOSTLY I assured her that her father and I love her very much no matter what her thoughts are, we are not upset with her, and I stressed that it is safe to talk with me (mom) and dad when things trouble her.
Currently this seems to be gender identity related - I do not think, at this point, it is sexual identity related. (We would be very careful to nurture a sexual identity crisis, if that were the case.)
She also has trouble finding friends (this challenge is common, I know) unless they are curious beings, thinking about the universe, and making connections at lightning speed, too, no matter what age they are.
All children go through gender identity around this age, but DD7 is so cognizant about it.
How have you have handled these growing pains? Have you worked with your regular pediatrician? Do you have a developmental psychologist who your child can talk to or you can talk to as parents on a regular basis, or do you just handle situations as they arise.
