I hate it when people post just to post.....

[*slim* 2]

You are so right about that. DS started this year. Last year, I never had to worry about his talking back or anything like that. Now, all I have to do is tell him to do something simple like, take is plate to the kitchen, to get back talk. I am open to suggestions, too.

[gone 4 ever 6]

Jennifer Love Hewitt is the ghost whisperer. Miss My hair never moves and i can cry huge tears at the drop of the hat!

Thank you! She is short and so am I. I think she has a great body. A girl can dream to have a body like hers! I have trouble picturing my body in the body of a tall woman who has a great body. I come out fat again! You know you have to scruntch that body up to fit in mine! LOL

[DivaStyleCoach 89]

When there this age, the only times they smile at you is because they want a ride somewhere or money. Or both.

I can relate to this...when I hear "Mommy Dearest" come out of my 18-year-olds mouth, my next question is "How much?"

It just seemed to happen overnight, too. One day she was normal and the next...not so much.

Anyone out there have a little hellion and turned it around? If so, how? What freedoms do you limit and which ones do you allow for?

I had a problem with my DD's internet use - visiting chat rooms, posting too much personal info, etc. I tried talking to her about it first, then when I found out she was still doing it, I disconnected her access completely. We attended a couple of workshops where horror stories abounded, and she has slowly gotten her access back. For that reason, I continue to google her name and check myspace. I'm also not afraid to check her cell phone bill, since her phone is part of our account (though she pays for it). For me, vigilance is key!

You are so right about that. DS started this year. Last year, I never had to worry about his talking back or anything like that. Now, all I have to do is tell him to do something simple like, take is plate to the kitchen, to get back talk. I am open to suggestions, too.

I'm not sure where that talking back stuff comes from either - had the same issue with my DS (now 25). We stayed firm - whatever we promised him, good, bad or ugly, we did it. He knew that if we said something, we MEANT it. For instance, we came out of a grocery store after shopping and found out he had shoplifted a package of pens. DH went ballistic, popped him in the head a few times in the car, and then marched him back into the store to confess his crime and ask for forgiveness from the manager. Loudly, in front of EVERYONE. He was, of course, barred from the store, but the police weren't called. He never pulled that again, and told me years later (this happened when he was about 13) that he relived that experience a couple of times in his head when he was tempted.

I think consistency - both in the message and in your behavior - is helpful. When you tell them something will happen, make it happen. Whether it's good, bad or ugly.

They'll then understand that you MEAN what you say - that kind of integrity is hard to find in our world. Hold them to what THEY say as well - and when they don't hold to it, remind them of what they said and make the consequences appropriate.

[luluc 6]

i don't have any children - but i do have a personal observation, didn't many of us do little jobs growing up to earn "spending" money? i know that i babysat & worked in a bakery early sunday mornings to get what spending money my parents told me to go earn.

i have a lot of teenage boys out in the country & i can't get a single one of them to earn some coin around our ranch. my friend has 2 boys 14/15, and i asked her if they wanted to earn some money this summer.....she laughed and said they'd never do hard labor.....

anyway - i see that w/some of my friends kids as well.

ok - done w/my non parent view - ... off to walk a dog:)

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

My ideal celebrity body double would be either J-Lo or Tyra Banks.

[luluc 6]

My ideal celebrity body double would be either J-Lo or Tyra Banks.

salma hayek - she's short & curvy

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

salma hayek - she's short & curvy

PS, Salma Hayek too. ;o) Curvy is what I'm all about.

[smsmithart 4]

I want to be gisele from vs.. Ok I'm not 7ft tall but that's my pic.. Random post anyone else a sleep eater sometimes I wake up with candy wrappers in my bed and this morning there's a pringles can in my bathroom.I never remember eating the stuff..weird right.

[*slim* 2]

i don't have any children - but i do have a personal observation, didn't many of us do little jobs growing up to earn "spending" money? i know that i babysat & worked in a bakery early sunday mornings to get what spending money my parents told me to go earn.

TW will work (although with much back talk) if he feels he will get something out of it. For example, we have told him that the only way he will get an allowance is for him to do him chores without being told (taking out the garbage and cleaning his room). If I have to tell him, he doesn't get anything. He doesn't like that, but rules are rules. Of course, he has only done his chores without being told once. Everytime he asks why he hasn't gotten an allowance, I remind him of what he was supposed to do to get it. He does his chores, but not without being told. He seems to think (like a lot of boys) that having a nasty room is ok. Not in my house!

[luluc 6]

Random post anyone else a sleep eater sometimes I wake up with candy wrappers in my bed and this morning there's a pringles can in my bathroom.I never remember eating the stuff..weird right.

do you take ambien?

[Brandy~ 2]

i don't have any children - but i do have a personal observation, didn't many of us do little jobs growing up to earn "spending" money? i know that i babysat & worked in a bakery early sunday mornings to get what spending money my parents told me to go earn.

i have a lot of teenage boys out in the country & i can't get a single one of them to earn some coin around our ranch. my friend has 2 boys 14/15, and i asked her if they wanted to earn some money this summer.....she laughed and said they'd never do hard labor.....

anyway - i see that w/some of my friends kids as well.

ok - done w/my non parent view - ... off to walk a dog:)

No you're so totally right and that's coming from a parents standpoint. I worked my @ss off as a kid.. I had a paper route, I babysat, and I worked in my dads lumber mill and his building supply. Between all the jobs I had I almost worked full time while going to jr. high and highschool.

The last house we had I waited and waited for someone to come around with a lawnmower and say 20 bucks to mow your lawn... I would of jumped at the chance.

Now at the new house we just hired a gardener... ridiculous that I can't find a neighbor kid to expel some child labor..

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I want to be gisele from vs.. Ok I'm not 7ft tall but that's my pic.. Random post anyone else a sleep eater sometimes I wake up with candy wrappers in my bed and this morning there's a pringles can in my bathroom.I never remember eating the stuff..weird right.

I'm not TG! I eat enough when I'm awake for goodness sake... anyway be careful with that. My friend does that and she told me over the weekend she woke up while eating brownies. She was choking on it.

[DivaStyleCoach 89]

PJTP...

I don't understand the reluctance of today's teens to work...

I babysat, did gardening, raked leaves and shoveled snow as a kid. When I was barely old enough - 15 - I fudged my birth certificate year and was able to get a summer job working for an accountant and haven't looked back since.

My DD wants a "glamour" job...eventually settled for Burger King after working at JoAnn Fabrics for a while. My DS, while a teen, worked at McDonalds, a local auto parts store, and for a summer youth program (glorified babysitter).

Neither of them wants to mow lawns, shovel snow, etc...though it pays good money! I occasionally had to pay a neighbor kid to rake leaves because my two wouldn't do it until they saw the cash come out! Of course, then I wouldn't let them do it because that would have put the other hard-working, go getter kid out of a job!

[smsmithart 4]

do you take ambien?

Nope..I do take melatonin but this has been going on for yrs..

Also I just found a can of vegetarian vegetable Soup in the bed I guess I couldn't open it when I was sleeping so I brought back with me..

[luluc 6]

No you're so totally right and that's coming from a parents standpoint. I worked my @ss off as a kid.. I had a paper route, I babysat, and I worked in my dads lumber mill and his building supply. Between all the jobs I had I almost worked full time while going to jr. high and highschool.

The last house we had I waited and waited for someone to come around with a lawnmower and say 20 bucks to mow your lawn... I would of jumped at the chance.

Now at the new house we just hired a gardener... ridiculous that I can't find a neighbor kid to expel some child labor..

i'm glad you brought up lawn care because that was what i was referring to when i posted. our previous wkers moved so i've been on the hunt for wks- . i would like some help around the place (i'll do the majority of it in the tractor) it's the little things ..... when i asked my friend (the one w/the 2 boys) if they would be interested & ended up w/her landscapers number.

i remember my brothers all did landscaping over the summers and made enough $$ to play with throughout the yr. my dad had a saying: "if your grown enough to have a social life needing money - your grown enough to go earn it"....