Parents---How do you deal with sassy attitudes?

[CookieGVB]

I'm going through hell right now with my 12 year old son. There are days when EVERY issue is a battle of wits, and I'm almost at the end of mine.

There are two options that I use that have been effective, if only for a few days...I have cut his bedtime (and believe me, sending a 12 year old to bed at 7:30 is not pretty, but I told him if he didn't, I'd be heading to school with him and tell every friend I saw that he went to bed that early, which horrified him enough into going to bed), and I have taken money back from his allowance.

Someone PLEASE tell me it's the age, and that it will get better...but I also have a 10 year old, and I can't imagine going through this again.

 

[christineann]

All kids seem to go through a testing-the-limits phase. I just told the kids not to bother because it wouldn't work with me. They are teens now, and they tease me that they are going to get me a T-shirt that says "Do not even start with me. You will NOT win." They are good kids and don't give me any trouble (well liked by their teachers, too). If they have something to say, I listen, of course, and we treat each other with mutual respect.