How Much Are You Worth?

My 7 year old teenager was at it again the other night. This time she was running around like a wild woman who had only recently discovered how to undo her straight jacket. It was the longest three hours we've had in a while. Family Home Evening took twice the usual time--as the kids kept stopping to giggle at the babies antics (which of course made the baby act out all the more). And when we tried to play a game the girl child spent the entire time overdoing it and ruining all the fun for everyone else.

Finally we sent her to her room.

"When you calm down you can come out." We said.

Five minutes later she came out... ten minutes after that she went back in.

"Alright!" I shouted in utter exhaustion, "Time for bed."

She was outraged, and wanted to make it clear to us that her clock said 6:54PM and bedtime was at 7PM. Plus! Where was her story?

We explained how wild children didn't get stories or 7PM bedtimes and that's when the real excitement started.

In a hurricane of screaming and tears she ran to her room and slammed the door. Ralexwin went to help the boys into bed and I tried to calm my nerves. That's when I received this note.

She comes running out of her room--refusing to make eye contact--and hands me a crumpled piece of paper that I will keep the rest of my life.
If you can't read it... it says "I am so for sale! $12."

Oh the drama that comes from that little heart of hers is enough to scare the most experienced parent. She is 7, what am I supposed to do with her when she's 15? I never get this sort of antics from the boys.

True Albowin does a lot of yelling (if you've ever heard him you know that he can wake the dead with his scream) but he does what he's supposed to without this 'nobody loves me' stuff.

Sometimes we like to tease her about this. Like that same night when she came out for her medicine and insisted that she NEVER got to do anything. We agreed.

You don't get to do anything!

Except clean your room.

And do the dishes.

I guess we let her go to school sometimes.

But only if she doesn't play.

Oh, right and then we do let her clean the bathrooms sometimes.

And what about the time she had to change the diaper?

Right! See dear we let you do all sorts of stuff.


She didn't think that was very funny.

Comments

Sara said…
That was a funny post (probably not for you)! You will miss these moments when she is all grown up but I know how stressful it is now! I don't know how people deal without a spouse to help. I tend to pass the buck to Dale when those moments arise and go somewhere else to cool down.
Jennifer said…
OGC spent most of yesterday evening sulking in her room because she had to come in from playing to eat dinner. She sulked so intensely in fact, that she refused to eat dinner, although I think she went back in later and got some of the leftovers. I'm not sure because I was reading in MY room, working on calming down.

Your brother-in-law keeps threatening to drop dead before we have to deal with the girls as teenagers. I keep telling him that's not an option, because I'll just track him down and drag him back into mortality. I am NOT dealing with two teenage girls all by myself!
jillysunflower said…
Well you are proving the point to me over and over again of how grateful I am for my easy going boys.
Lisa said…
I know these moments are no fun for you, but it's really fun for others to read about.
Claire said…
yeah. Frame that!!
Jenn said…
I can only giggle, cause "been there done that". The drama reminded me of when my oldest said he was running away. He was about 5. I was in the kitchen watching him out the window i noticed he kept pacing back and forth...would be gone for a little bit and then show back up...so I went outside too question him. "I thought you were running away?", "I am, but I can't cross the street without an adult". I darn near peed my pants it was so funny. He of course was NOT amused.
Just hold on tight and enjoy the ride. :)
Cannwin said…
I love those sorts of stories... my mom tells me that when I was little I handed her a note that said "Everyone hates me! Except Ethan, Seb, Jen, Elise, and Dad!"

That left my mom. She still laughs about that. But her and my dad still laugh about how I've gotten a chip off the old block and I think they are actually looking forward to my daughter becoming a teenager... something about getting a taste of my own medicine.

I can't imagine what they are talking about. I was a complete angel during those years. 0:)
Jamie said…
I am so linking to this. Now.

Most people I know who have daughters can say all this same stuff and tell funny stories about The Drama, but that note takes the cake. B, the check's in the mail and YOU'RE A MELIN NOW! HAhahaha
lishajeanne said…
K you don't know me but that sounded SO familiar it is scary! I also have a 7 year old teenager, as you call her and mine is just as dramatic. You are not alone.
Summer said…
You don't know me either. I have a 5 1/2 year old teenager. Her new shoes for gymn got left at school today. She insisted we go back and get them. Of course we were not. She told her little brother: "Get in the car Colt, we're going back to my school to get my shoes." So out the door he went to the car- mind you much better than when I ask him to get in the car. Then she said: "Mom, get in the car." It is fun to hear other's stories!
Cannwin said…
I don't mind if I don't know you! That's what my blog is all about, getting to meet new interesting people and have a little fun enjoying (or comiserating) about life together.

I welcome everyone's comments. So welcome.

My 6 year old son is another story himself. I told him to go recomb his hair today, because it was looking particularly bed-headish in back. He screams his wake-the-dead scream and runs off into his room like I'd just told him his toe was to big and he needed to go cut it off.

My throat is sore from the hour spent getting everyone ready today. Ugh. ;)

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