Really? She is too old for this

[Wiped Out]

This weekend we went to a wedding in Michigan. My niece was married and it was beautiful. The reception went really well for difficult child. We let him take his medications late so he could enjoy the evening (otherwise he would have been asleep by 7:00).

On the way home easy child/difficult child started an argument with difficult child. First she started arguing about the temperature in the car. She didn't want the windows down or the ac on (it was very warm but she wasn't). Next she started arguing about the volume of the music. If we put it up front we need to put it a little louder so he can hear and if it's in the back she claims it's too loud (she is back by the speaker). The whole point of this is she was definitely trying to get a rise out of difficult child. Finally difficult child started yelling back at her. Then she started kicking him and he was trying to hit her (can't say I blame him at that point). So here is me, in my dress, crawling into the back seat of the van (husband was driving) so that I could get between them.


She seemed to be doing so much maturing recently. Sigh.... at 18 she is way too old for this. On our next trip to Michigan she is staying home-has to work-thank goodness!

 

[Bunny]

I hate when that happens. One kid tries to annoy the other one to the point where there are fisticuffs involved. Part of me wants to say that it's typical sibling stuff, but I think that these things send to get ratcheded up a little higher when there is a difficult child involved. I'm glad that the wedding went well for all of you, but I'm sorry that the car ride home turned out they way it did.

 

[firehorsewoman]

I see the same thing here. I think that easy child has a very high tolerance for difficult child and his behavior. She rarely antagonizes him but when she does I get so angry with her for setting him off. I tell her "What were you thinking?! You know how he is!" But most of the time unless he is physically hurting her, her tolerance for him (yelling, screaming at her, etc) is much higher than mine.

 

[TerryJ2]

Ohhh, I'm sorry! Yes, she is too old. PMS?
That's me, always making excuses ...

 

[tiredmommy]

Ugh!!!

 

[Hound dog]

Definitely too old. Last bad run in between Nichole and Travis was when she was 15, and yes, it was her that went off on him. I reamed them both so bad over it, it wasn't funny too.

Maybe it was PMS. But man, I'd have blown a major gasket.

Hugs

 

[flutterby]

Yep. Too old. Good grief.

 

[InsaneCdn]

<sigh>
So far... we've kind of avoided it, but... we would never have made the trip home the same night. It just doesn't work for our particular combo. Other things we've done - and now that I think about it, probably partly as prevention for this kind of stuff - is to... always have several fleece throws in the vehicle, so the person who is "too cool" can wrap up (include a pillow, sometimes what they need is a sleep, and its amazing what a blanket and pillow will do). If we're outside of normal operating parameters (i.e. anything after 7PM!), one parent drives, with one kid beside, and the other parent and other kid in the back. It just really reduces the flare-ups.

But that is for next time.
For now? {{hugs}}

 

[Bunny]

She rarely antagonizes him but when she does I get so angry with her for setting him off. I tell her "What were you thinking?! You know how he is!"

If you knew how many times I have said that to my easy child!! Drives me crazy when he antagonizes difficult child!!

 

[AnnieO]

I watch Jett and Onyxx do this to one another. Mostly Jett will just get up & walk away which infuriates Onyxx - he used to cry, but it didn't get him anywhere because 15 minutes before I was watching him to it to her.

Onyxx yells. She used to scream and hit... Maybe she is maturing.

 

[SuZir]

I'm not sure if they ever turn too old for that. Last weekend I had an opportunity to see two brothers, super PCs in their twenties, to rile each other up over everything and anything and mostly over 'friendly' game of tennis. It ended up with one destroyed racquet, one pair torn pants (expensive ones), extensive nettle sting, combined nine wasp stings, mud wrestling and a cut that required 7 stitches.

Luckily neither was allergic to wasps and the older participant, rather new MD, was able to stitch his little brother up afterwards, so he didn't need a trip to ER for the cut.

I think that as long as my super easy child godson and his brother are like that, I don't hold my breath waiting for my kids to 'be too old for that.'

 

[Wiped Out]

Bunny-I agree it is more than plain sibling stuff because of the gfgness.

Firehorsewoman-Unfortunately my easy child/difficult child has 0 tolerance for her brother at most times.

Terry-Nope-Not PMS.

TM-My thoughts exactly!

Lisa-I did blow a major gasket. This better never happen again.

Heather-Good grief is right!

Insane-Good idea on one driving in the back seat. I guess because difficult child was behaving we didn't expect easy child/difficult child to start something. Oh, and we weren't driving all the way back to Wisconsin that night, just to my sister in law's house about 2 miles from the reception.

Bunny-Yep-I've said that many times too.

Step-easy child/difficult child screams a lot. Lately she has seemed more mature but wow-she took a huge step backwards.

We keep telling her she needs to knock off things like that. Right now, for whatever reason, difficult child will not fight her back (except to defend from her kicks). He is much stronger and if he ever decides to fight back she is in trouble.