Decision Making...

Only make her choose between 2 things. If you are just asking her what she wants with no options that is a HUGE question (maybe not to an adult but to a 5 year old it is).

Would you like a sandwich for lunch or some chicken? Would you like this book or that book? This shirt or that shirt. This way the choice is not so big and intimidating.

Also, I believe this is pretty normal. My daughter would get very overwhelmed if she had too many choices.

Once she gets comfortable with just 2 options then you can always slowly increase it if you want.

Good luck!! and YES the time goes by VERY fast. My baby is now 10 years old and I can't believe it.

Love and Logic parenting classes teach to give to acceptable options. You must be able to live with either one or do not give it as an option.

It's morning, let her pick top A or top B, then pants A or pants B. That's it. You can do this the night before. It is so much easier to pop out of bed and have everything already laid out waiting.

Well, my answers may be useless, but they're still suggestions.

Limit her choices between 2 options. An option can even be, would you like to pick a shirt, or would you like me to?

Once she has chosen, the decision sticks.

Give her about 10 seconds (don't let her know you're counting) and if no decision is made. Make the decision for her. "I guess you want me to pick the shirt you're going to wear today."

Those 3 things should make it easier to make a choice and she won't be able to prolong it and waiver on what she wants. Less prolonging should equal less stressing over it.

Granted you might start getting comments like "I wanted to choose", but that's actually probably a good thing.

To me, it sounds like she's simply outgrowing the toddler years of wanting to be in control of everything, but developmentally unable to be.

Maybe instead of choices, you simply say "Let's wear THIS shirt today. Sound good?" This way, she doesn't HAVE to make a choice (which is inherently problematic - it means she gives one thing up - I still have a hard time with choices - I don't want to lose my options), but if she wants to wear another one, then she can tell you (and likely will).

Some of the frustration may be coming from a point of her KNOWING what she wants, but it not being a choice. "Do you want the pink or the red shirt?" Well, in reality, she wants neither - she wants the blue shirt. She may not feel comfortable telling you she doesn't want what you picked out (people pleaser) or she's afraid she'll get in trouble for wanting something else.

That may be why the books aren't as much of an issue. If you tried to make her chose between two books, it may become an issue because neither of your choices are what she wants.

Have you tried giving her only 2 options? ("The red shirt or the pink shirt today?") That might help. Maybe she feels overwhelmed.