Asserting her independance! GRRR

[misty]

Shannon has decided that shes entitled to eat in her bedroom, stay up until 11 Pm, and do what she wants when she wants. Basically shes acting like a typical almost 13 year old & its driving me NUTS!

She's been "not hungry" at dinner & then later when I'm busy elsewhere she comes & sneaks food up to her room. Thats bad enough, add to that the fact that she NEVER brings her dishes down!

So tonight I cracked down! I told her there's NO more eating in her room! She can eat with us or later if she's not hungry at dinner but even if she eats later she needs to eat what I made & eat it at the table! I told her if I find out shes eating up there I'll take her TV out of there. I told her shes in bed BY 10 unless theres something special on & I give her prior permission.

So far tonight she hasn't eaten. She's hungry but I'm watching & she can't sneak the food upstairs. She played the "I'm not hungry" at dinner ploy & now she doesn't want to eat alone in the kitchen. So she's going between screaming at me & pouting. I hope this doesn't last long!

[charliegirl]

I hear you. My son isn't allowed to have food in his room either because he can't bring his dishes down.

Stick with it. Eventually she will know you mean business.

My son is going through that really belligerant thing too. Today I had a dr app't and on the way back he got mad because he couldn't have his own way about something. I offered to wipe his mouth of his face for him. It got him laughing about the fact that it was impossible, but man was I ready to prove I could do it.

We will survive. We will. I know we will.

[misty]

charliegirl said:

We will survive. We will. I know we will.

You remind me of "The Little Engine that Could"!

We might survive, but sometimes it sure doesn't feel like it! She had a simple 1 page assignment for Library class as homework & you'd have thought it was WWIII!!

[charliegirl]

First, lets start by hanging this sign from their necks.

and this one around ours

and if all else fails, look them in the eye and do this


After that we can lock ourselves in our bathrooms and

[misty]

Thanks for making me laugh, Barb!

[puzzled]

Tell her that my almost 14 year old (in april) is only allowed drinks in his room, and not milk....that would stink if he left the glass upstairs...and his bedtime is 10..and it only stays at 10 if he continues to get himself up and ready for the bus which comes at 6:50 every morning!

[misty]

I WILL tell her that, Puzzled!

the one thing I CAN'T complain about is her getting herself up. She gets herself up at 5 AM if shes in bed by 10 & 6 AM if she goes to sleep later. I'M not even up yet! She doesn't even have to catch her bus until 8:20, she just doesn't like to rush around in the morning (I shudder to think what time she'll be getting herself up in HS...LOL).

[katiekat]

I am super-anal neat freak. My kids are not allowed to have food or drinks anywhere but the kitchen. Ever.For any reason. Not even water. It's always been that way so it doesnt even phase them.They also have to keep everything they own out of my downstairs. My husband is the same way. Misty,maybe that will make Shannon appreciate you more.

[puzzled]

katiekat...my mom was that way, so maybe that is why I relent on the drinks...

misty, do you have her sit with you at dinner anyhow? I do that with the boys. Dinner is for family and even if they aren't hungry they have to join us for the company.....once they are sitting there, they usually eat..

[misty]

Yes, we've always eaten as a family...I enjoy that time too. I've decided to start making dinner a little later & see if that helps. Maybe she'll be less resistant if she's more hungry!