[needadvicenj]

Hello I am a single mom from nj. My daughter seems to be over the fact my ex left 3 yrs ago(she is 5 yrs old) I know deep inside it still bothers her a little: but I don't know how to get her to get it off her mind... She is so well mannered and very smart for her age but she is sooooo independent and stubborn! The only person she seems to be mad at is me and the only person she has a temper with is me... Please somebody tell/help me help her not be so hard headed about certain things... does counseling really work and will it bring us closer together??

[this8384]

I don't think she needs counseling, to be honest. She's just a 5 year old girl who, like you said, is very independent. She gets mad at you because you're probably around her the most.

I wouldn't bring up her father anymore unless she specifically asks. You say that you "know deep inside" that it bothers her; did she say that it does? Have you specifically asked her that? Odds are that if he left when she was only 2 years old, she doesn't have too many memories of him. Just focus on the positive: you have a beautiful child whom you love very much. The only thing she needs to know is that.

[KISS]

You might benefit from counseling to help YOU deal with your daughter. By "deal with", I mean to have some ideas of what to say. It will still help. I doubt it would require much.