Parenting

It’s 2pm on a Sunday. My phone rings.

It’s my daughter. Hmmmm…this is her week at her dad’s house. I wonder why she is calling?

I pick it up and see her on the other end with her angry eyes, arms crossed, ready to fire off about some major injustice happening.

Sigh. This is not the position I want to be in.

You’re in a faceoff with your kid. At least, it feels like a faceoff.
They want candy before dinner. You said no.
Her little fists are in tight balls. You know what comes next.
Utter chaos and explosion.

I don’t understand why you can’t just behave!

You say this to your kid. Maybe you scream it.

Because it seems like whatever you do, it is a constant power struggle with your child.

Wish you knew how to deal with what seems like never ending tween moodiness? This method of talking through the issue and then teaching tween’s about their emotions works.

Vitriol.

Anger.

All seemingly directed at me.

But its not about me. And its not about you either when your child turns on you with the rage of emotions and backtalk.

It’s 6:30am and already, every task is causing a tantrum.

“We have nothing I want to eat!”

“Bud. Its Ok, just pick something else.”

“No! I don’t want anything else.”

My 6-year-old son and I stand in the kitchen. We’re the only ones up. I look at the ceiling wiling my husband to get out of bed above me.

It’s the fifth temper tantrum of the morning.

Your son is mad at you because you poured milk on his cereal when he only wanted it on the side.

Your daughter huffs past you in a little ball of rage because her brother is taking all the attention… AGAIN.

And you?

You are fed up.

Every week, your daughter tells you of a new conflict with a particular friend at school. You are losing your mind and feel helpless. Here’s how to help your daughter deal with friend drama.

Ever walk in your house and become immediately overwhelmed with the stuff lying around?

Its bad enough when you have a kitchen junk counter stacked with 3 layers deep with kid’s artwork, random books and those gadgets for your door that you don’t want to throw away but you don’t really know how to install.

But then is all the stuff your kids leave laying in the living room or crammed onto the top of the family room game shelf.

Middle school was complete hell.

When my daughter entered sixth grade this year, I was terrified.

I didn’t want her to think it was her fault that other people were mean to her. I wanted her to know how to confront problems and the typical, stupid ways that people would react.

Ways that had nothing to do with her.
Girl drama is one of those things.

You walk in the door from school. Your nine-year-old comes in after you.

Everything seems fine. She’s happy. All is well and good.

Then, you remind her that the dishwasher needs unloading.

Boom. It’s like something inside her detonates.

“Noooo… I don’t have time to do that. That’s so unfair. I can’t believe you’re making me do this!:

She glares at you, stomps over to the kitchen sink and starts crying.

WHA-ATT just happened? She was happy. I didn’t blame her. I just had a simple request.