I've considered having him evaluated by a psychologist - anxiety issues run in my family, and I've wondered for a while if stress was a contributing factor.
I've tried starting a conversation with him and asking if he can tell me what is bothering him so that I can help. He says he doesn't know, and I think he's telling the truth about that.
He started getting a bit of an attitude when he was about 5 1/2 - but it's gotten much worse over the past couple of months. His dad's upcoming deployment may contribute, but we rarely talk about it in front of him so I doubt that is all of it. He's leaving during the summer, so I figured we would wait until school was out to address that issue.
I don't think he's sick. This has been going on for WAY too long for that. And he has never complained of headaches or any other symptoms - even small ones. However, he does seem sleepy a lot lately, and I wonder if he's having trouble sleeping at night.
The theory of it being "excitement" instead of "anger" is intriguing. Since we moved here we've had to deal with a new house and school, a trip to Disney World, two birthdays, Halloween, his first time living in a neighborhood with kids he can play with.....the list goes on and on. He has spent a lot of time with the boys across the street, who tend to be rambunctious and often border on disrespectful. But he rarely sees how they interact with their mother, since she is rarely outside with them. Could he be picking up bad habits from them?
It seems there are a million things that COULD be causing this, and it seems logical that it is a combination of several different things. Problem is, I don't know how to deal with any of them, or make him feel better.
