I was thinking along the same lines as susprised - it might be time to talk to a professional about what's going on and how to deal with it. I'd start with either the GP or CHN and ask what services the council offer. I know ours offers parenting courses but you might even need something more than that - you might need some one on one time, as opposed to a group parenting course thing.

You could also look into her "love language" - figure out her currency and try to work with that? Have you heard about love languages? There's a book called "5 love languages for children". Might help.

My DD is only 3.5 and I am getting really concerned about how she is going to be when she gets older - she is 3.5 with the attitude sometimes of a teenager. Last night I told her to be sensible, while we were at Nanna and Pop's house, she was carrying on getting silly, I said "DD, be sensible please" and the reply I got was "No, YOU be sensible". She has tried that before, so I called her over, got down at her level, asked her to look at me and said "That is NOT how you speak to mummy. You need to speak nicely to mummy. Smarten up and drop the attitude." and she turned away and said "YOU drop the attitude"

I was gobsmacked. I called her back and again said "That is NOT how you speak to mummy. This is your last chance - speak nicely to mummy or you will miss out on dessert (my mum had made a chocolate mousse, which DD had helped with) and you will go to the thinking spot. Smarten up." Her response? "No mummy, YOU smarten up."



No dessert, thinking spot, but I after I'd put her into the thinking spot, went back to the kitchen and my mum says "Where did that come from?" and I have no idea. I was horrified. Where is this attitude coming from? And if this is what she is like now, God help us in the future.