My Birthday Girl is Grounded!

You have your hands full Carol, thirteen going on 21.

Every family needs to have at least one of these strong-willed children. How else would we get gray hair? : ) I hope you have a nice small celebration for her birthday anyway, even though she is grounded. Some children just need to see the boundaries
to know that they are loved.

Sounds like you're doing a great job. Keep it up.

Oh geez... she sounds like me as a child.

Kids like boundaries even though they fuss about them. It makes them feel safe.

She sounds just like my sister, when she was that age.

This brings back memories of my own daughter at that age. Believing the punishment should fit the crime, any phone offenses were followed by the taking away of the phone. I began stashing it in my bedroom closet under some sweaters on a shelf. Darned if she didn't find it and rub it in my face. Then I locked the bedroom door. You guessed it; she picked the lock and found it again. I finally had to resort to locking it in the trunk of my car and driving it to work with me each day. Of course the length of time I confiscated the phone for also increased substantially with each incident. At that age, each day is a new struggle with a daughter, but it will pass. Yours obviously loves you very much and appreciates how much you love her. I hope you both enjoy her birthday!

HMMM... Birthday girl sounds like me when I was young. I gave my parents fits! I would do stuff or say something inappropriate and I would not even know why I did it - I can remember being just shocked with myself and hoping no one would notice what I'd done but I could NOT get away with anything!

She's 13 - she'll get the hang of it soon.

I like birthday cake - it's always my favorite (flavor doesn't mater either - if it's birthday cake it's my favorite!)

Damn Carol, I'm glad she's yours and not ours. I'da had a heart attack by now...
Good luck...
:-)

Sounds like you're doing a good job, Parents have to be strict once in a while,,,otherwise they'd just run all over the rules,,,Good story!!! ♡

It sounds like you are a a great mother and doing a great job raising her. Children do need discipline otherwise they will take advantage of you or any other parent. I am sure she understands why you have to ground her but kids will still find ways to get around their punishments. I am sure she will grow up to be a fine young lady when she gets older. Keep doing what you are doing and she will be fine and understand.

Ah once the opposite sex is involved it's trouble, lol. You'll do what's best, I know you will Carol. It's not easy.

She sounds like a typical preteen/teen to me. My son turns 14 on Sept. 10th.....I've caught him reading with a flashlight at 2 a.m....amoung other stuff....

Sounds like you are doing a great job. Good luck. My grandson turns 13 on Sunday.

Enjoy. Before you know it she;ll be leaving for college.

She sounds like me when I was that age : )

Very wise parenting - great article.

maybe she never had a phone before?

I would swear my teenage boys have the phone attached to their hip pocket. I have to ask to use it myself.

Keep up the good work! :-)
My daughters are 6 & 5 right now and the younger one sounds like she could be related to your daughter! ;-P

Yikes!!!

Man I wish you could talk to my parents. Its all the same stuff we went through with my sister. We always said that being in trouble was her safe place. She was use to always being in trouble and use to doing things wrong so anytime she was good for a while it was confusing to her.
When she tried to burn our house down she went and put on her winter jacket and boots and sat on the cough while the house was on fire waiting for them to come take her away.
If shes not already I would be sure to get her into some good therapy now. And you should go as well.

Just found out that I'm pregnant and my mom hopes I have a girl so that I find out what a pain in the butt they are as teenagers. : ) This is just an example of something I have to look forward to. : ) Thanks!

I hope you have a happy celebration. It's not easy raising them, but love conquers all. She's so pretty.

Carol--OMGOSH!,..we are so in the same boat!,.....I adopted two children December 19th,2006,...the oldest,..A girl,..now 12,...and yes,..lost of baggage and I have also known and cared for her since age 3!...I have taken her out of school,..she is home schooled,...lack of telling the truth and over sexualized, and she urinates on her toys and on her carpet,..the Doctors are at odds about that,..they have never dealt with a 12 year old who wants to pee on everything,...I now make her wear depends at night and when we go to town,..she is also a predator/victim,..she has also tried to killer her younger sibling and has hurt/killed animals,...I'm sure you know how NOT EASY this is,....all this is just the tip of the iceberg,...the one thing that does keep her in line(for as much as she can be) is consistency,..if I say it,..then it's set,...I've had many people tell me she should just be sent away or to a hospital,....since I have known her so long and aware of what she's been through,...I just can't give up,.....I've had to put camera's in her room and an alarm on the door,...for the safety of her younger sibling,...the other day I was asked if I regret adopting her,....No,...I don't,..I just regret the life she was dealt before.....I think you are doing a great job,..and what I always tell myself,..it could always be worse,...oh,..and the most important of all,..God never gives you more then you can handle!

She sounds like a challenge but I bet you're up to it! I'm not looking forward to the teen years with my 4-1/2 year old who is going on 20 some days :-)

I am having trouble typing in Gather...so sorry for the cut and paste.
I wanted you to know I looked at your picture or read your article and left you with a 10!!
Thanks for sharing!!
Jerri~~~

Ah, teenagers! Is she your one and only child? We, too, adopted an older child and I agree that the ups and downs of identity AND being a teenager can make for....well....turbulence (fasten your seatbelts, hang on). Such drama! Such passion! Until something else comes along and changes their mind....Lol.

Hang in there, batten down the hatches and you'll get through this. I got through two teenage stages and they are delightful young men, even though I have a few extra grey hairs...okay, okay, more than a few....

P.S. Hope you got my connection invite. Gather has been having some glitches...

Hopefully she'll grow out of it, sorry you're going through this.

I've had 5 girls ALL like that! My boys were a breeze to raise.

You obviously know what you're doing... Kudos to you, MOM! You are her Angel... and She knows it!

Walker!!!

5 daughters, 3 ex-wives, now I'm in you life, and you have nothing to complain about. You haven't in a while, I'm just here to remind you how lucky you are to have me, and how much I love you.

LOVE

Your Fiance

I just treat you as number 11.

You hang in there, She is a kid My kids would do things you tell them not to do, like you said while you are telling not to do it. Going through that now with a grandson. He will be doing something and I tell him to stop and he keep on doing it, and sayin he isn't, As I am pulling what little bit of hair I have left on my head. GRRRRRRRRR!

Walker!!!

Is it really wise of you to make #11 comments? I know where all of your ex-wives live, and atleast one of them is on my side!!!

Also, I have PICTURES you don't want me to post.....but I will!!!!!

Do you really want me to tell Gather all about those boxer shorts with the lip prints all over them? haha

Ah...teenagers. Nothin like 'em!

Teens - gotta love 'em!