OMG, I am raising a mini-me! My daughter and I are EXACTLY alike. And she is a hand full.
I have been in denial about this fact. I have actually had discussions about this with friends and family. I have denied, screamed and stomped my feet in defense of myself.
Let me tell you what happened...
I pick the kids up from school, dinner is ready on the table when we get home and I am thinking this is a great day...
They eat, I cut an apple and send them on their merry ways while I take care of Mama stuff in the kitchen.
I set the dishwasher to run and off I go upstairs anticipating my time watching Cash Cab with the kids, followed by an hour of How its Made.
I walk into my bedroom and there is my daughter in all her glory. She has propped up the pillows, starting eating her apple and turned to the Disney Channel.
Hold up wait a minute, I want to watch Cash Cab. I have a bowl of apples, I even have a drink that I might share with her if she is nice to me.
After some back and forth conversation about what is happening, she decides that she is not going to her room and she wants to watch it in my room.
I am not in the mood to argue, so I leave with the mama warning. "Don't come down stairs to the basement, because if you do you will go right to bed. I will be back after my shows are over."
Off I go and watch my shows, the kids go to bed and life goes on.
Well just the very next day, we go thru the whole routine all over again.
The kids go upstairs and I get to cleaning the kitchen. All the sudden out of no where she starts screaming "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!! GET OUT NOW!!!"
Blood curdling screams, I have her come downstairs and this is the conversation...
What is the problem? Why are you screaming like that!
I want the boys to get out of my room.
What did they do to you? What did they not do to you? Why do you want them out?
I want to be alone. It is my room and I want my privacy!
OH HELL NO!!
I took this as the time for what the books call the teachable moment.
My mother called it the time when she would let me know that there is room for only one Bitch in her house and it was not me.
I then said...
You went in my room, turned my TV and then told me what we were watching. How does it feel to have your space taken over and have no say.
How dare you want me to DEFEND your privacy when you cannot RESPECT mine.
I will defend yours until my dying days when you learn to respect mine.
So the first way for this new process to start is for you to sleep in your own room and stop roaming into mine in the middle of the night.
You will stop bringing all of your toys, dolls and other kid activities into my room. And if you do bring them in you will take them out when you leave.
You will remember to knock on the bathroom door before you turn the knob. Then and only then will I even lift a finger to make your privacy a priority.
Apparently she has heard me. She has not roamed in three nights.
Oh my this kid thing is going to kick my butt. I have not even begun to contemplate the teen years. I am struggling with 6 let alone 16.
until we meet again,
I love what you said to her...and that she understood. WAY TO GO !
Posted by: Debbie | 18 May 2009 at 02:58 PM
Oh, I laughed so hard! That's awesome...I love it! That screaming "leave me alone" is all to familiar. That's great that you had a fresh example to get your point across!
You can do it! You can do it! You can do it...ok, you have no choice anyway...but you CAN do it!
Posted by: Valonda | 19 May 2009 at 01:15 AM
your comments crack me the hell up.... i love to read your post... i met you at CKU in Charlotte NC last year and you gave me your website. it makes me LMAO some days!!!! Sharon Greene
Posted by: Sharon Greene | 08 June 2009 at 04:03 PM
Umm, Please let me know if that works. When My daughter come home from college she does the same thing and she's 20. She say's she just wants to be close to Me, Yea! Right!
Posted by: Audrey | 08 June 2009 at 05:34 PM
Can I tell you that it really has worked.
My DH told her last night that she roamed and he was not having it tonight.
She told him, "Forgive Me I could not help myself. Daddy, sometimes I just need to roam."
All I could do was laugh.
lauren
Posted by: lauren | 08 June 2009 at 09:14 PM
I'm glad it worked for U! I just have to think I only have a few more weeks before she gone again. I'm so glad I met U at Charlotte CKC. I like Ur honestly, style and humor in Ur blog.
Posted by: Audrey | 09 June 2009 at 08:53 AM
Stop you make me blush!
love ya like cooked food,
lauren
Posted by: lauren | 09 June 2009 at 10:37 AM