You say he gets frustrated if he is asked to do anything and then he cries. Is this the only time this happens? Just when he is being asked to do something? I have a stepdaughter, who at that age would cry if her frustration level got high enough. With her it was always school work that made her cry, but it was only when she didn't understand a math problem and couldn't figure it out, she would start crying. She did this until she was about 16, and then she didn't cry anymore, but you could still see that her eyes would get really watery. It could be that when he gets that frustrated he doesn't know how to verbally express that frustration, so the only option is to cry. At least he doesn't get destructive as other kids do. I would suggest that the next time this happens, you help him figure out how to verbalize his frustration, and this will help him get through it.

I wish I knew the answer. My son is almost 9 and can still put his 1 year old brother to shame in the crying department. Half of the time I don't even know why he is crying, but he brings out the sprinklers and the sobs and goes all out. Sometimes it is because he can't watch the show he wants, can't play the video game, was asked to do something, other times I just don't know.

We have had a similar problem with my son off and on. It could be that he's a little hormonal and doesn't know how to deal with some of his feelings. Girls aren't the only ones to go through hormone changes during puberty. Or do you think he cries to try and get out of chores? My son at 9 can be quite the drama king. If he bumps a leg on the table or trips going up the steps, he will be sprauled on the floor moaning for several minutes. When I look him over there isn't a mark on him. He sometimes shows some very exaggerated emotions. Suggestions?? We threaten and sometimes do punish for inappropriate reactions when we ask him to do chores. He has lost computer time for crying on the floor when he was just asked to take a bath. I'm sure people who know my son would never believe he acts like this at home. He is not immature and is a great student both in grades and behavior at school.
I feel your pain.........

i am so glad that i am not alone in mothering a son that cried about everything. He is such a drama queen at times, blows everything out of proportion and even when he cries holds his throat and says that he can't breath. I do not think that there is anything physically wrong with him i just think that he is always going to be a bit over snsitive or perhaps he will just grow out of it. Only time is going to tell i guess.

My son also says he can't breath when he gets upset. I actually asked the doctor about it last month wondering if he had asthma or something. They said they didn't hear a thing in his lungs and thought he was just hyperventilating. My husband and I both wondered if other boys this age were like this. I'm glad we aren't alone. Hopefully they will grow out of it.

I talked to another mom in my sons middle school last year and remember her telling me her son got very emotional around the age of 11-13. My son is like that right now. He will cry at the drop of a hat.

Oh my goodness - my twelve year old son is totally a drama "queen" and he always has been. Yes, it certainly gets old when they will soon be young men, yet are crying like this.

I also forgot to remind you that all kids are different personality-wise so the fact that your other children didn't do this shouldn't be an issue. Plus, it might depend on where he is in the family, i.e. the oldest child, youngest, in the middle? Maybe he has issues or stressors there.

I think that maybe you're missing the connection here. From what you have said, it sounds like he cries from being frustrated, not from being asked to do something. I have a couple of children that cry when they get frustrated - one girl (18) and one boy (9). I think that sometimes kids don't know how to, or can't, verbalize their frustration, so the only release they have is to cry.

I would suggest helping him to verbalize his frustration, and after you've helped him a few times, you can ask him to start trying to do it by himself.

I hope this helps.

I was just wondering, is your son getting frustrated when you ask him to do something because he is in the middle of something. Because that always causes my kids great distress if i demand they do something right away. I have had to modify the way I ask them. Like I will say today you must tidy your room, you can do it after you finish what you are doing, or after lunch, but it must be done today. This usually works. I wonder because they feel they have some choice in their life. Just a thought.

Kids this age have alot on their minds. Some of which we might not know right away. They can be like a pressure-cooker. It makes sense they cry, have breakdowns, get mad at home b/c this is their domain and where they feel the most comfortable.

My son can react like this at times. Sometimes everyday other times it will be awhile before it happens again. Invariably, when we think about it the times it happens is when he is busy or stressed.

I would be concerned if it felt like it is coming out of the blue. That would alarm me to him hiding something or closing up and combusting over the little stuff like cleaning his room...this has been my experience.

Unique, that is a very good suggestion. His real father has a lot of problems with voiceing his feelings. I should start now with Jake so he doesnt have these issues later in life.
Jools, I have tried giving him a heads up like telling him 'today I would like your room cleaned, or this evening when you get home... but his poor little obsessive self doesnt like anything having anything over his head so would rather just get up and do it, and still gets frustrated. I agree with several thoughts on here. Probably just a combination of several issues. It is just nice to hear that others are also having this problem with otherwise good boys. shhheeeeeeeeeesh and they say women are hard to figure out.

My ten year old does this and for him its just a matter of getting started. I sometimes will go in there and kinda help and it usually gets him going. 12 is the perfect age for puberity and a time to be trying to figure out who you are in terms of others. I think that sometimes when my son doesnt know how to express himself he is more prone to this kind of behavior also. Good luck and God Bless you