So I took Cori to preschool today.  She was not very excited.  We seem to have good days and bad days as far as getting to preschool goes.  Thing is that she loves it once she gets there- every time!  Anyway, she wanted me to come with her and after two weeks of track break and then two extra kids this morning I wanted to have some alone time!  She finally got out of the car and stomped into preschool.

I was almost home when her teacher called.  I was really worried that she was throwing a fit or something- but her teacher said she came in and  threw her backpack down and threw her coat down.  Miss Tammy (her teacher) had her come sit on her lap and asked her why she was upset.  She told her she loved her and what a good colorer she was and how much she liked having her at school.  ‘I just wish you liked me and liked coming to school’.

Cori says, “I do like you- I just don’t like your school.”

At least she’s honest right?

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I’ve not made any money today. None.  Of course on the bright side someone else has picked up toilet flushing responsibility.  I’ll have to look for a new source of revenue.

On to Megan’s ‘retraining’ or ‘punishment’.

Remember the yelling, the screaming, the tantruming, the anger.  Oh- the constant anger. She’s 7.  Not 13. Shocking I know.  I dread 13.  But if at 7 this is the behavior we’re experiencing then 13 is going to be way  out of hand. So I spent my day cleaning out her room.  Not only cleaning- but cleaning OUT.  I moved out all of her possessions, furniture, wall hangings, even her mattress.  Her room was empty. Four bags of garbage.  A mound of things on the kitchen table that didn’t belong to her (but she had hidden in her room).  Three boxes of things for the thrift store.  Two boxes of possessions I was going to let her earn back.  Her closet was locked.  I was now the picker of the clothes.

I was expecting hysteria when she came home from school.  Screaming, yelling, name calling, crying.  I didn’t get that. Instead I got disbelief and then shock followed by complete obedience.  I informed her I was tired of fighting with her and I was officially refusing to do it anymore.  That to help her not to have so many things to fight about I was going to be in charge of her life.  If she’d like a blanket and a pillow to sleep with that night she could start washing her walls. No complaining, no whining- just quickly doing as she was asked. She did it.

I told her that if she were a model child it would take at least a month to earn everything back.  My goal is to make a habit of good behavior.  It’s working. She’s a different child.  She’s happy. HAPPY. The lying has (mostly) stopped.  I haven’t fought with her about waking up and going to school since.  Homework is happening with out major battles.  Is she perfect?  No.  But I’m not expecting perfection- just normal human behavior- I think we’re mostly there.  I can actually enjoy her again.  I don’t feel like I’m walking on eggshells as to not wake the angry giant anymore.  It’s lovely.

Extreme?  yes.  Worth is? Very much so.

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The 10th fight of the morning with your 7 year old is the appropriate number of shirts to wear.  Five at once is too many for someone who doesn’t do her own laundry.  I know layering is ‘in’ and I even do it a bit.  I’m not a fashionista but it shouldn’t go: Hoodie, short sleeved t-shirt, long sleeved t-shirt, short sleeved sweater topped off with a cami.

Apparently pointing this out warrants the following response:  ‘You’re the meanest mom ever who never wants me to be cute and doesn’t ever let me do anything and I hate you and I’m not going to school!!!’

Wish you were me?

(This happened on Tuesday.  Stay tuned to find out what happened when she got home from school Wednesday.)

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