When it comes to moods and emotions, young children can be all over the map. Partly this is due to their age and that they are still learning how to manage their emotions and partly this is due to their lack of real understanding of what their “normal” is. Parents who are in tune with their kids can often pinpoint quickly what the culprit is when their mood changes suddenly. It could be something as simple as needing a nap or having consumed too much sugar, both of which are fairly quickly remedied. In other cases, however, their moodiness may have a more serious cause. Here are 4 reasons why your child might be “in a mood” more often.
Social Issues
For kids, “Social issues” can run the gamut from bullying to negative peer pressure to outright abuse. In many cases, children are reluctant to talk about their personal issues with others, since they often get the message that if they just “play nice” everyone will all get along and everything will be fine. When things aren’t fine, this can often lead them to believe they are the problem and they will simply work even harder to “be nice” and “get along.” When that fails, they can feel like a failure and may be even more reluctant to talk about what is going on. If your child seems sullen or withdrawn, you might try and have a serious conversation with them about how all of their interactions with other people are going.
Performance Issues
Whether it’s academic performance or performance in a sport or other activity, children often feel an intense amount of pressure to excel. While it is natural to praise a child for good performance, this can also put heavy pressure on them to continue performing. When they begin to struggle in an area, they can start to fear disappointing you and others who are important to them. If they don’t seem as excited or as enthusiastic about school or other activities or seem to have outbursts right around when they are supposed to go to those events or activities, you might try talking to them about how they feel they are doing in those areas.
Health Issues
It is natural to get upset when your child is sick, ill or not feeling well, but sometimes this can cause them to not want to tell you when they feel something more serious is wrong. In other cases, they may experience pain or discomfort that they can’t pinpoint and don’t know how to tell you about. Dental and orthodontic pain, for instance, can sometimes be hard to pinpoint or explain. If they’re upset because they need dental work, however, you can get help easily by searching Google to find a professional right for your child. If they just seem randomly cranky or moody, you may want to talk to them about their health and see if anything is hurting anywhere.
Growing Pains
Sometimes, there is no one specific issue or cause that your child can even pinpoint as being the problem. They are just going through new things and having new experiences that they are confused as to how to handle. In some cases their moodiness has an underlying cause that you can actually address and solve and in other cases, you can’t. Sometimes, you just have to ride the storm until they get a better handle on whatever is new or changing in their life.
When it comes to moods and emotions, small children often do not yet have the language or understanding to communicate what the source of their issue might be. As a parent, it may take some detective work to help them pinpoint exactly what the issue is. Learn more about how to counter any negativity and help your child get to the root of the problem so they can begin to heal.
