"One minute my child wants my help with homework, and the next minute she wants me to leave her alone."
This behavior may make you wonder what's going on. The answer is simple. Your child is becoming an adolescent. Middle graders tend to be very moody. One minute they're happy, and the next they're angry. These sudden moods can be difficult to predict and even harder to cope with.
The best approach parents can take is to ignore as much of this erratic behavior as possible. Changing hormone levels in your child make it next to impossible for him or her to control their emotions. So, what do you do?
First, keep in mind that their moods have little to do with you - and try not to take them personally. If you don't comment, chances are they'll disappear as quickly as they arrived. The more attention you give them, the longer they're likely to stick around.
However this doesn't give your middle graders a license to walk all over you. Tell them that you understand they are upset, but they don't have the right to upset the rest of the household. Suggest they go to another room if they are not feeling sociable. When they come out, try to forget anything happened. They will probably forget about it too!
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