Just Another Manic Mommy

My Daughter's OD'ing on Sugar!

Dear Manic Mommy: I'm an experienced intermediate teacher. I have four kids: three girls (8, 10 and 12) and a 2-year-old boy. My 12-year-old has always been given a lot of responsibility but now she has started to behave extremely badly. She breaks her things, wastes her food, shouts, hits the kids and now she is overdosing on sweets. Last night she took seven multivitamins and I panicked because she has a scarred kidney. I don't understand how to bring her back. I reason and explain everything but she just rebels more. Her teachers love her and she is given a lot of responsibility. She did well this year at school.

Manic Mommy: I'm also the oldest child of four and I grew up with a ton of responsibility, some of which I came to resent, so I can see how that could be bothering your daughter to some extent. But I never felt the urge to break things or hurt my siblings. She's definitely seeking attention, but in the wrong way.

The one thing that struck me in your question was that your daughter was overdosing on sweets. Do you think the added sugar in her diet could be a factor in the change in her behavior? I definitely think you should talk to her school counselor or make an appointment with her pediatrician. Puberty is a very awkward weird, strange, uncomfortable time in a girl's life, and there's certainly something going on that needs to be addressed. At her age, she is mature enough to not be regressing the way you are saying that she is, and her behavior seems off for someone who has previously acted so normal. I hope everything works out and you get her back to her old self.