JKF
Well-Known Member
I go to get easy child/difficult child up at 6 this morning for school. He instantly starts complaining that he's tired and doesn't want to get up. Not the norm for him but it has happened a few times recently. I go into his room and as I'm looking around I notice toys everywhere. Now I know these toys were not there when he went to sleep last night because one of our rules is that he has to clean his room up before bed and I physically checked last night to make sure it was done. So I put two and two together and realized that he must be playing with these toys AFTER I tuck him in for the night. I asked him and he reluctantly admitted that - yes - he waits until we're asleep and then plays. Uggggh! What? And I now realize that this probably happens pretty frequently.
I have to admit - I lost it. Screamed, took all of the toys out of his room, and gave him a swat (ok 2 swats) on the rear end. I really don't lose it like that much anymore but he's been pushing NONSTOP for over a week now. He was already in trouble and grounded for lying 3 times since Sunday. He was going to get privileges back today but nope.
When I took him to school we calmly talked. He realizes why he's in trouble but what next? He really is a good kid and a really nice kid, but he'll push and push limits and boundaries until there are none left. He likes to see what he can get away with so we have to be constant and strict with him most of the time. His ICS teacher and I have a standing joke that he has a talent for zoning in on the weak - god help substitute teachers! LOL
So - give me some advice wise warrior moms. How should I go about dealing with this? Perhaps some of this is typical teen stuff and I'm so caught up in difficult child land that I can't see that? I really don't know but I do know that I need new methods for calmly dealing with this stuff. I don't know how to move out of the "you're grounded and have zero privileges" pattern that we've been stuck in lately. I tell him all the time that I hate having to ground him and that I'd much rather he had every privilege available but when he acts poorly he gets grounded. This sucks for me too. Uggggh!!!!
I have to admit - I lost it. Screamed, took all of the toys out of his room, and gave him a swat (ok 2 swats) on the rear end. I really don't lose it like that much anymore but he's been pushing NONSTOP for over a week now. He was already in trouble and grounded for lying 3 times since Sunday. He was going to get privileges back today but nope.
When I took him to school we calmly talked. He realizes why he's in trouble but what next? He really is a good kid and a really nice kid, but he'll push and push limits and boundaries until there are none left. He likes to see what he can get away with so we have to be constant and strict with him most of the time. His ICS teacher and I have a standing joke that he has a talent for zoning in on the weak - god help substitute teachers! LOL
So - give me some advice wise warrior moms. How should I go about dealing with this? Perhaps some of this is typical teen stuff and I'm so caught up in difficult child land that I can't see that? I really don't know but I do know that I need new methods for calmly dealing with this stuff. I don't know how to move out of the "you're grounded and have zero privileges" pattern that we've been stuck in lately. I tell him all the time that I hate having to ground him and that I'd much rather he had every privilege available but when he acts poorly he gets grounded. This sucks for me too. Uggggh!!!!