Patient's question:
My daughter is almost 8 years old and is in third grade of elementary school. Because my cousin (10 years old) stayed with us for a month during this summer vacation, she strongly believes that Mom loves the cousin more and doesn't love her. Her reason is that Mom talks to the cousin more and ignores her. The cousin has been back home for three and a half months now, but my daughter still asks me every day: "Mom, do you love me? Am I your biological child?" "Mom, you promise to love me and not love the cousin." After I promise, she repeats the question the next day. Sometimes I really get tired of her asking, and occasionally I might shout at her, but not often, telling her to stop asking that question. She then cries and says she can't stop thinking about it. When she's alone, she asks herself: "Does Mom love me?" "How should I guide her?"Doctor's answer:
The problems children exhibit are often a reflection of the issues parents face. For example, parents may lack the ability to explain their concerns effectively, their own behavior and emotions may lead children to misunderstand, or some personality weaknesses of parents may be passed down to their children... In short, if such young children can be so "stubborn," the reasons lie with the parents.