I learned the reason for my daughter's change in behavior is a little-known developmental phase called adrenarche. Scientists have been taking a closer look at this stage and believe children start experiencing a surge of hormones between the ages of 6 and 8, which can cause heightened emotions.
Most females will start puberty when they're 8 to 13 years old, and most males will start between 9 and 14. But it can also be normal to start earlier or later. Hormones from the brain trigger the start of puberty. Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the body what to do.
Mood swings are a normal part of puberty
Your child may have strong emotions that they've never experienced before. It's common for them to feel confused, scared or angry and not know why. They also might be more sensitive and become more easily upset than usual.
Some teen moodiness can probably be linked to all of the brain growth and change your teen is experiencing. Because they have poor impulse control due to their brain changes, teens may express an emotion before being able to think about it or deal with it.
Remember, negative feelings and emotions are normal during the pre-teenage years. She can learn to cope and manage these from the experiences she has. You might experience some difficult times ahead but it's not necessarily about tackling things the right way or the wrong way.
Nine-year-olds are maturing emotionally and becoming more cognitively advanced. They are continuing to grow taller and stronger and they may be mentally ready to excel in sports and other physical activities. But don't be surprised when they suddenly become tired, moody, or change interests day-to-day.
Your daughter could be experiencing preadolescence and may require a new style of parenting to match this stage of her development. In other words, as she is starting to develop a more independent sense of identity, she may struggle with the way she previously related to you.
We can thank hormones and puberty for a lot of these behavior changes. While preteen boys can certainly be moody as well, I notice that girls often start noticing this irritability sooner. This is likely because girls tend to start puberty a little bit earlier than boys, typically around age 11.
Some of these changes include: bone growth; getting taller; making hormones in the adrenal glands and ovaries; growing pubic hair, underarm hair, and breasts; and the start of regular, monthly menstrual bleeding. Ultitmately puberty causes the girl to become fertile and release eggs regularly.
Estrogen levels peak in the mid- to late 20s in women and then decline by 50% by 50 years of age and dramatically decrease further after menopause.
It is normal for children or teens to have fluctuating moods sometimes. Throughout childhood, there are times when a kiddo's moods may be in flux. However, there are certain kids for whom emotional regulation is extremely difficult. They may feel trapped in a prison of rapidly fluctuating moods.
But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. There's not usually any need to worry if puberty does not start around the average age, but it's a good idea to speak to your GP for advice if it starts before 8 or has not started by around 14.
Signs and symptoms
Overall signs of a mood disorder may include: Sad, depressed, irritable, angry, or elevated mood that appears more intense than the child usually feels, lasts for a longer period of time, or occurs more frequently. Trouble with family, including difficult behavior.
The reasons behind disrespectful behavior include the perfectly normal and healthy process of your child growing up and away from his identity as a younger child. Teens naturally seek more independence as they get older, and mild disrespect is one way that independence gets expressed.
Children at this stage have entered a highly emotional space. They are just beginning to cope with hormonal changes. They're also hitting a time when peers will have the most influence on them. They want to be poised and have self-control, but they are often clumsy and in conflict.
Emotional/Social Changes
Focus on themselves; going back and forth between high expectations and lack of confidence. Experience more moodiness. Show more interest in and influence by peer group. Express less affection toward parents; sometimes might seem rude or short-tempered.
The years between eight and thirteen can leave you feeling like a parenting beginner all over again. They bring backchat, rudeness, defiance, highly emotive responses (SO many big emotions!), selfishness, “I hate yous”, sulking and door slamming.
Forget the terrible twos and prepare for the hateful eights ‒ parents have named age 8 as the most difficult age to parent, according to new research. Eight being the troublesome year likely comes as a surprise to many parents, especially since parents polled found age 6 to be easier than they expected.
Age 8 Is the Hardest Age to Parent, According to Parent Poll.