My youngest daughter has been frustrating me lately. She seems to be in a fog, probably due to the end of the school year so close, but come on! Focus! When we got each of our kids cell phones, the expectations were that they would be in constant communication with us if they were away from home. If I text them about anything, my expectation is that they respond back to me. Nowadays with the hectic schedules, it's crazy and being able to text everyone is a faster means of communication when everyone is scattered here and there.
Last night I had texted my youngest daughter letting her know her sister would be picking her up from practice. No response back. You may think I am being too critical, but my youngest is done with practice at 9:30 at night. We now live 20 minutes away so it's not like it's a quick jaunt to get her.
I called her on her sister's phone, she had turned her's off because she cannot use her phone past 9:00pm with the exception of communicating with us. I had just told her prior to practice to make sure to always look for messages from me, well she didn't, therefore, no response from her. She told me she got the message from her sister and turned off her phone.
I asked her to think of a punishment and let me know when she got home. Her idea of a punishment, "I will wipe down the counters and sweep the floor everyday". Really? Is that really a punishment? I told her everyone should do that regardless and clean up after themselves every time they are finished in the kitchen. I do both of things on a daily basis. If I had to wait for her to do this task when she got home from school, I would be the one being punished because I would have to look at the mess the entire day.
I thought about canceling her texting privileges on her phone, but that comes with the monthly service when I looked on our online bill. Then I stumbled upon some extra charges on her phone....oh brother, not minor charges either, $84.00 to be exact! What the heck? The charges stated they came from the Get it Now service, which she has been begging for but we have told her she doesn't need that service. She told me she never okayed the service, but apparently she had. She said she was buying ring tones, really $84.00 worth?? Every time I am around her, her phone is on vibrate and obviously, she can't have her phone on during school so why the need for so many ring tones?
She told me she would write me a check for the amount. Funny, because any money she has in her account technically, it's still our money since we give her an allowance monthly. We don't ask much of our kids daily, just the basics of keeping their grades up and keeping their rooms clean and so on. Very basic at our house.
I am frustrated with her, she seems to be in a fog when it comes to thinking things thru. Taking her cell phone away really doesn't seem to affect her either, not like it did with our oldest daughter. The only threat that seems to really make her upset is if we took away her cheerleading or changing schools. Doing either one of those is even too drastic for me, but the aspect of either one really upsets her.
So why can't she get it thru her head to think things thru? Yes, I am realistic, I know part of it is her age, give me some credit. But punishments do not work with her. I have told her over and over again that she has everything possible in the palm of her hands and she is the one that determines if she gets herself in hot water, not me or her dad. She knows the rules and our expectations. Just makes me want to scream! How long until we are empty nesters??
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