Is this normal or should I be worried? My son has been a model child since birth. He can not be sweeter. He was the only child in kindergarten to be accepted into gifted and talented. He now has two younger sisters and he loves on both of them like loving siblings do. His squables have been normal in my mind. I am often told from other families, teachers, and church volunteers that he is one of the best behavied children. He just finished 1st grade and received the highest scores someone in his grade could receive. His teacher told me that he is reading on a 7th grade level and is one of the best students she has ever had. However, in the last 3-4 months he has said some disturbing things that have me worried and I am seeing (while not regular) mood swings usually triggered by an event (like he got in trouble or did not want to do what the family was proposing to do.) When he gets in trouble, he will cry and say that he has a terrible life or he wishes he was never born. He has never been in trouble for hitting, but recently hit his cousin and a neighborhood friend after they verbally mouthed off to him in a squable. It is almost like he cant express himself in words. Last night, he said he hated his family and wanted to die. When everything is fine and he is not upset or in trouble, he seems and acts fine. He is kind of shy, but has never really had trouble verbalizing himself normally before. I am very worried and upset over these comments. He comes from a loving family and we are so proud of him and all he has accomplished so far. How do I help him not to feel this way or is it possible this is his way of trying to get a reaction? If it was a mood disorder, would I have seen signs before now?
What he is doing when he gets into trouble is his way of dealing with the situation. Try giving him other ways out. The main one is, "hey, you broke the rule - no big deal. This is your timeout. When its over, we are back to normal. If you do it again, it will be a longer timeout. We still love you very much, but it is what it is." Basically, give him the resources to deal with the situation.
You didn't say how old this cousin and neighborhood friend were that he hit. I am guessing the same age or older. Hitting is a sign of frustration (and it is also learned behavior). Boys do hit - first grade probably taught him that. I imagine that first grade also exposed him to a lot of new words. You do have to let him know what is acceptable at your house.
In short, intelligent kids are a treat. But, you need to try and stay one step ahead of them. Good luck and have Fun!