Lately Brooklyn has been arguing for the sake of arguing. Not about anything important. But she will just get a hair up her butt and decide that she is right about something and argue it.
She's really begun testing my patience. Monday we were at Target during one of my bathroom breaks I had said something about my cousin Andrea, you know Jordyn and Taylor's mom. She said, "Don't you mean McKenna?" "No, I mean Andrea." "You are wrong- it's McKenna." She says to me. I about wanted to rip her face off - but we were in a public restroom and there were too many witnesses. I said as firmly and calmly as I could, "Brooklyn, I am talking about Andrea, Jordyn, Taylor and McKenna's Mom. I sometimes know what I am talking about. And sometimes you are not right." That ended there pretty much, later she told me that she didn't actually hear what I was saying before she interrupted me, but had thought she knew that I was wrong.
This morning I was watching a video on VH1, it was "I want to be a rock star" or something like that, I had never heard the song before but the I stopped on the video because I saw Kid Rock and clips of Chicago. I said Brooklyn look, we've been there, and there. Just kind of fun stuff rewinding and looking at those places. Then there was a clip of the creepy parking garages that I had posted pictures of on my blog after the vaca, the locals call them the corn cobs, I said, "Oh there's the scary parking garages we saw from the river." She says, "We never saw those." "Ok, maybe you didn't but when we were on the boat doing river tour of the building we saw them." "We never took a river tour on a boat." Are you kidding me? My blood pressure and tension and anxiety levels are all going sky high. But I am trying to maintain my patience, maybe she doesn't remember. "Our last day there, we were at Navy Pier and decided to take the Architecture boat ride." "No! Mom that was a bus, we never were on a boat only a bus." Now I am at home, not a single witness - I really want to rip her face off. The fact that she is arguing with me about this is pissing me off, the fact that she is only 9 and is acting like she is 12 is pissing me off and that I slowly feel my control slipping from me and I am about to lose it like I haven't lost it since...waaay back is pissing me off.
I knelt down across the footstool so I am a good arms reach away, and said "Brooklyn, you are testing my patience today. Maybe you don't remember it. But DO NOT talk to me like I am stupid and like I don't know what the hell I am talking about. I will not tolerate this any more, your arguing just to argue with me." I am sure I ranted for a good two to three minutes, such a lack of respect!
I called Don at work and vented to him about it. Not really proud that I had a mild freak out, but proud I didn't slap her silly. I, We, don't know where this is coming from. It isn't all the time either just random defiance and arguments and only with me, which is odd because I am the yeller, the screamer, the stronger disciplinary force in our family, why would she choose to argue with me? I thought we didn't have to put up with this crap until she was at least 12? Does it start this young? Does it get better? What can I do about it? HELP! This is my sincere heart felt plea to all of you especially with preteen, teenage daughters. Is my putting my foot down and exerting control what I need to be done when she challenges me? In my head it seems like the right thing to do - otherwise it seems like it will get worse into adolescence???
HELP!!!
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2 comments:
Are yo ukidding me? It sounds like you are doing FABULOUS! Not ripping her face off- which by the way sounds very funny from a person not invloved's POV. ANyway you just telling her she's not to talk to you like that is all you can probably do. I ahve a friedn who's daughter is 9 too and she says its the same way- she can cycle it though adn thinks the hormones are begining to kick in, AHhhhhhhhhhh! GOOD LUCK!!!
Oh my got!!!! Sounds just like Bailey! I think they grow up too fast. She thinks she knows everything and feels the need to correct me all the time. I just tell her not to talk to me that way and if I tell her again, she will lose her phone or computer time, not spend the night with friends and last but not least, her door. (You know how they love their privacy) Yes, I feel like slapping her face off too but have to refrain. And yes, she broke her leg and thumb playing soccer I swear!!!!!!
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