tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16565481.post-1134714243878635012005-12-15T22:24:00.000-08:002005-12-15T22:24:03.906-08:00Things are getting better here! Even though my daughter is still arguing and being rude, I feel like everyone understands where I am with everything.<br/><br/>I had a long talk with my daughter yesterday and told her that her behavior has to stop. She cannot be rude to me, yell at me, or hit me anymore. I told her we are running out of options for her, everything from medication to ways to teach her school to ways to teach her how to behave. I have clearly come to see that she HAS to learn to be civil and even kind at home so that she can carry that to the outside world. I told her that I was afraid if she keeps going as she is now she will grow up and be mean to her husband and her kids, possibly even hit her children. I also told her that it’s my responsibility to make sure she learns to not do this.<br/><br/>She seemed to listen. Who knows, it will take a lot of patience on everyone’s part to teach her how to get along in the world. And it must begin at home!<br/><br/>I recently read “The Fairy Who Came to Our House” to the children. It is a story about a fairy that comes to the house of a very good girl who often forgets to do things she is supposed to do. The fairy spent a day reminding the little girl to do the things she was forgetting. And after a day, the fairy left for the girl had learned to do what she was told and what was expected of her (if only it took one day!). I keep thinking of this story, and realize that I am my daughter’s fairy! I have to teach her and remind her how to treat others.<br/><br/>We have discussed the “golden rule” so many times, but she doesn’t get it. Finally, yesterday she was complaining about her aunt who is often rude to her and yells at her, as she was talking it rushed over me to realize that what she was complaining about was exactly what she does to me. When she was done, I looked right in her eyes and said “That’s exactly the way you treat me.” She looked at me and said “really?” Did that sink in? Who knows? I hope to see changes, but I know it’s up to me to teach her.<br/><br/>So off I go teaching life skills to my 10 year old. <br/><br/>KarenKaren Petznoreply@blogger.com