A few days ago, I posted about difficult child just laying around doing nothing except making nasty comments...
Obviously, this is not good. Not really bad (compared to other problems we've had) - but not good. So on the one hand, I want to encourage difficult child to get up off her duff and do something positive...
But now for the other hand -
We live in a neighborhood that has a lot of sidewalks and trails. GREAT for walking, bike-riding etc. (Also great for walking to apply for a JOB - but that's another thing). But difficult child, of course, does not like walking or riding her bike for recreation...she prefers to lay on the couch. Every once in a blue moon - difficult child will announce that she'd like to go for a walk around the block....but since she's diametrically opposed to physical exertion - we've been suspicious of her motives. And we've been right. Each and every time difficult child has gone out for a "walk" - she ends up meeting up with some guy.
It happened again yesterday. It was a GORGEOUS day, just beautiful weather....so when difficult child announced that it was such a nice day she wanted to go for a "walk" - (like an idiot) I actually felt proud that she was getting up and doing something active. She went around the block and came right back (about 10 minutes) - I was SOOO proud of her. Yay! Exercise!
That is - I was soo proud until the guy she was supposed to meet up with showed up at the house wanting to know why difficult child had missed their rendezvous. Turned out that difficult child had taken her "walk" too early and the guy hadn't been home yet....
Oh the things that make a mother proud!
So what did I do? I accused difficult child of being a liar right there on the front steps....and then
I invited this young man in.
Heh! Heh! Heh!
difficult child was angry and embrassed that now this guy was seated in our living room. She just sat there glaring at me. The friend was nervous and had no idea how to act. The two of them just sat there on opposite couches...
So, being the good mother and wonderful hostess that I am, I sat down and had a conversation with the young man. Asked where he lived, where he went to school....stuff like that. difficult child just sat there giving me dirty looks.
After a few minutes, I told him it was lovely meeting him and difficult child and I walked him to the door....where difficult child muttered that she would see him tomorrow.
As soon as the door closed behind him - difficult child launched into a big explanation (all bs of course)...but I just ignored her and walked away. She was angry with me for the rest of the night. Oh well!!!!
So now I have a dilemma. What am I supposed to do with this kid? She drives me nuts laying around on the couch all day - BUT getting up and heading outdoors is obviously a problem. She lost her computer priviledges because of inappropriate behavior....ditto for cell phone....and we had already told her previously that school activities are out until she gets her grades up....
So what the heck am I supposed to do with her?
Other than strangling...that sort of thing...
Any clever, creative, devious ideas???
Obviously, this is not good. Not really bad (compared to other problems we've had) - but not good. So on the one hand, I want to encourage difficult child to get up off her duff and do something positive...
But now for the other hand -
We live in a neighborhood that has a lot of sidewalks and trails. GREAT for walking, bike-riding etc. (Also great for walking to apply for a JOB - but that's another thing). But difficult child, of course, does not like walking or riding her bike for recreation...she prefers to lay on the couch. Every once in a blue moon - difficult child will announce that she'd like to go for a walk around the block....but since she's diametrically opposed to physical exertion - we've been suspicious of her motives. And we've been right. Each and every time difficult child has gone out for a "walk" - she ends up meeting up with some guy.
It happened again yesterday. It was a GORGEOUS day, just beautiful weather....so when difficult child announced that it was such a nice day she wanted to go for a "walk" - (like an idiot) I actually felt proud that she was getting up and doing something active. She went around the block and came right back (about 10 minutes) - I was SOOO proud of her. Yay! Exercise!
That is - I was soo proud until the guy she was supposed to meet up with showed up at the house wanting to know why difficult child had missed their rendezvous. Turned out that difficult child had taken her "walk" too early and the guy hadn't been home yet....
Oh the things that make a mother proud!
So what did I do? I accused difficult child of being a liar right there on the front steps....and then
I invited this young man in.
Heh! Heh! Heh!
difficult child was angry and embrassed that now this guy was seated in our living room. She just sat there glaring at me. The friend was nervous and had no idea how to act. The two of them just sat there on opposite couches...
So, being the good mother and wonderful hostess that I am, I sat down and had a conversation with the young man. Asked where he lived, where he went to school....stuff like that. difficult child just sat there giving me dirty looks.
After a few minutes, I told him it was lovely meeting him and difficult child and I walked him to the door....where difficult child muttered that she would see him tomorrow.
As soon as the door closed behind him - difficult child launched into a big explanation (all bs of course)...but I just ignored her and walked away. She was angry with me for the rest of the night. Oh well!!!!
So now I have a dilemma. What am I supposed to do with this kid? She drives me nuts laying around on the couch all day - BUT getting up and heading outdoors is obviously a problem. She lost her computer priviledges because of inappropriate behavior....ditto for cell phone....and we had already told her previously that school activities are out until she gets her grades up....
So what the heck am I supposed to do with her?
Other than strangling...that sort of thing...
Any clever, creative, devious ideas???