PMS in a Handbasket--Don't be afraid, just bring us food...

[Stitchfans]

Thanks everyone. DD (Debbie 25) didn't give me any grief until high school. But I think Briarmom might of hit the nail on the head. Hormones. Debbie was a very late bloomer. Allison from what I am seeing is not going to be a late bloomer.

I didn't put two and two together. Also I am wondering as far as Allison hanging with boys oppose to Debbie at that age hanging around with girls. Could that make a difference? I don't have any sons so I am not sure. All I know she has some restrictions coming up starting Monday since Sunday is Easter. No computer starting now, but I can't keep her inside until Monday. No phone starting today too. the more I think of it, it would be unhealthy to be kept inside so just no phone for a month. but like T&B said she has to stay in our yard. no leaving.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

As far as girls acting different around boys, with my DD, she acted better around boys and acted more catty around middle school girls, but of course that all depends on the girls.

 

[luvmydogs]

There is one neighborhood girl who hangs with ds and his friends. She's awesome, and says she likes boys more than girls because girls "act so stupid." She's a brown belt in karate, and won't hesitate to stand up to those boys and put them in their places if need be--I love this girl!

Girls can be terribly catty, back-stabbing and mean at Allison's age--certainly not all, but some. Maybe Allison just doesn't want to deal with some of the nonsense that comes along with preteen girls, therefore hanging with the boys.

There's a great book by Rosalind Wiseman called Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence. It's an excellent look into the lives of adolescent girls and what they deal with. So much more to handle than when I was that age.

 

[Stitchfans]

There is one neighborhood girl who hangs with ds and his friends. She's awesome, and says she likes boys more than girls because girls "act so stupid." She's a brown belt in karate, and won't hesitate to stand up to those boys and put them in their places if need be--I love this girl!

Girls can be terribly catty, back-stabbing and mean at Allison's age--certainly not all, but some. Maybe Allison just doesn't want to deal with some of the nonsense that comes along with preteen girls, therefore hanging with the boys.

There's a great book by Rosalind Wiseman called Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence. It's an excellent look into the lives of adolescent girls and what they deal with. So much more to handle than when I was that age.

sounds like Allison. She says the girls like to stand around talking about others behind their backs. She says the boys like to run and place soccer, basketball and other games like her. She wants to run and have fun not stand around and gossip. And yes, she does mention the cliques a lot. How if someone is talking to one girl and doesn't like the other even though they are friends they can't talk to you right now.

As a matter of fact for her birthday party this year she is going to have more boys invitied than girls.

Guess I am going to have to sit her done and make her tell me what is going on and what is wrong. chances are though I will get the usual- "I don't know"

if that is so my bet will be hormones. as a female going through menapause I know exactly what damage hormones can do to you and your personality and the way you think.

 

[luvmydogs]

You know, Susan, Allison sounds like a great kid, and I'm thinking that this is just one of those little bumps in the road that all kids go through (and make their parents pull their hair out over!) To this day, I get along better with men than most women--I can't stand the gossipy nonsense, either. Men lay it on the line. If they're ticked off, they just scream emasculating adjectives at each other, punch each other in the mouth then it's done. Women hold a grudge!

I think you're doing all you can do by keeping the lines of communication open. Even if you get a million "I don't know's" from her (oooo, I get lots of those!), you're still sending the message that you're there for her whenever she needs you. You're doing a fine job, Mom.

 

[Stitchfans]

You know, Susan, Allison sounds like a great kid, and I'm thinking that this is just one of those little bumps in the road that all kids go through (and make their parents pull their hair out over!) To this day, I get along better with men than most women--I can't stand the gossipy nonsense, either. Men lay it on the line. If they're ticked off, they just scream emasculating adjectives at each other, punch each other in the mouth then it's done. Women hold a grudge!

I think you're doing all you can do by keeping the lines of communication open. Even if you get a million "I don't know's" from her (oooo, I get lots of those!), you're still sending the message that you're there for her whenever she needs you. You're doing a fine job, Mom.

yep, you are right. thanks. she really is a great kid. maybe she has too much on her mind right now. thinking about Easter coming up, her birthday, end of school, summer soon, our family reunion and of course our trip to WDW even though that is way far off. She talks about that a lot!
out of all honesty I do too.

We have all sorts of things to look forward to and my guess she has become involved in those and forgot her priorities right now which is still school work. (which I might add and I am well aware is no fun)

still punishments most go though. maybe I will add if she goes outside she has to help me with yard work. the yard sure needs some cleaning up and pruning so on.

 

[luvmydogs]

...still punishments most go though. maybe I will add if she goes outside she has to help me with yard work. the yard sure needs some cleaning up and pruning so on.

I agree. No backing down or you lose authority and credibility.

I have a friend who makes her son pick up all the pine needles from their yard as punishment. Have you ever been to GA? It's *all* pine trees! It's impossible to get all the needles up, and they are literally everywhere, all the time. She figures he's out there all day keeping him out of her hair, and she just wears him out until he's to tired to argue with her. Not the route I choose to take, but all she literally has to do is look at him and say, "Anthony--PINE NEEDLES," and the kid snaps to attention.

 

[Stitchfans]

I agree. No backing down or you lose authority and credibility.

I have a friend who makes her son pick up all the pine needles from their yard as punishment. Have you ever been to GA? It's *all* pine trees! It's impossible to get all the needles up, and they are literally everywhere, all the time. She figures he's out there all day keeping him out of her hair, and she just wears him out until he's to tired to argue with her. Not the route I choose to take, but all she literally has to do is look at him and say, "Anthony--PINE NEEDLES," and the kid snaps to attention.

we have a very large evergreen in our front yard and a tiny one that is dubbed the Na Na tree which I planted in memory of my mom when she passed away. Neither one drops enough needles to make up any work. But believe me I have plenty of work to do. would like to plant some flowers since some animal ate all my bulbs. not sure if it is to soon considering the weird weather we have been getting. we still have our heat on at night.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I am all for putting kids to work and I very often do that either instead of or in addition to grounding. Sometimes instead of grounding, when a child is being mouthy, I will add a chore for each offense. I can have a heck of a lot of vacuuming done... I figure that I'm being tormented by their bad behavior--I might as well get something out of it.

I just went out to get a newspaper from our driveway and made 2 of the neighbor boys laugh. They are friends of my 12yo and they were meandering towards our house. I asked them if they were looking for cute girls in the neighborhood, which made them both crack up. Guess that's not exactly what was on their mind from their reaction. Or maybe it was what was on their mind. Don't think so, though. They would have looked embarrassed if that had of been the case and it was true laughter. But sometimes there are a big group of girls and boys hanging out together since there are lots of girls/boys the the same age that live around here. Will prove to be interesting in a couple years. YIKES!

 

[luvmydogs]

Never give gerbils peanut butter on a Ritz cracker as a treat.

Strike that--Ritz are OK, the peanut butter is not.

Carry on...

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Did you have to clear the gerbils airway??!??!!

 

[luvmydogs]

Did you have to clear the gerbils airway??!??!!

Heimlich!!!

Actually, they got peanut butter all over their little hands and feet, and now all the bedding is sticking to them. It must be a severe annoyance, as they are rolling and flipping themselves all over the place to try to get it off. In actuality, their shenanigans are only serving to spread the peanut butter all over their fur, thus complicating their original problem. They're squeaking at each other, and everytime I go over there they start chattering at me like they're really PO'd. All I tried to do was brighten their day with some freakin' peanut butter.

Mango & Tango are ingrates.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Did you have to clear the gerbils airway??!??!!

Mouth to mouth on a gerbil would not be fun!

 

[imsorry]

Heimlich!!!

Actually, they got peanut butter all over their little hands and feet, and now all the bedding is sticking to them. It must be a severe annoyance, as they are rolling and flipping themselves all over the place to try to get it off. In actuality, their shenanigans are only serving to spread the peanut butter all over their fur, thus complicating their original problem. They're squeaking at each other, and everytime I go over there they start chattering at me like they're really PO'd. All I tried to do was brighten their day with some freakin' peanut butter.

Mang & Tango are ingrates.

OMG!!! The mental picture is killing me

ETA: maybe you could give them little Wash N Drys??

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I used to like to give peanut butter to our cat. He would get it on the roof of his mouth and then had to smack his tongue against the roof of his mouth to get the peanut butter off. It was the funniest sight. Then the next time I would offer him peanut butter he would eat it again. He was the funniest cat and loved a lot of different food. When I would cut into a melon he could smell it no matter where he was in the house and would come running, wanting some. Our current animals are ok, but this cat was a very cool cat--probably my favorite of all the cats I've had as an adult (then why did I torture him with p.butter? ).

 

[luvmydogs]

Mouth to mouth on a gerbil would not be fun!

There's a Richard Gere joke in here somewhere......

 

[Tigger&Belle]

There's a Richard Gere joke in here somewhere......

We've missed you, luv!

 

[luvmydogs]

OMG!!! The mental picture is killing me

ETA: maybe you could give them little Wash N Drys??

 

[imsorry]

I used to like to give peanut butter to our cat. He would get it on the roof of his mouth and then had to smack his tongue against the roof of his mouth to get the peanut butter off. It was the funniest sight. Then the next time I would offer him peanut butter he would eat it again. He was the funniest cat and loved a lot of different food. When I would cut into a melon he could smell it no matter where he was in the house and would come running, wanting some. Our current animals are ok, but this cat was a very cool cat--probably my favorite of all the cats I've had as an adult (then why did I torture him with p.butter? ).

Anytime I eat ANYTHING on white bread the same thing happens to me - white break just sticks to the roof of my mouth and I start to panic because I can't get it off and I feel like I am going to swallow my tongue

 

[luvmydogs]

We've missed you, luv!

Oh, I've missed you guys, too! Where's teva?

Richard Gere's sister actually went to my college. She graduated three years ahead of me, and tons of media and fans came to her graduation on the chance he'd be there. I got a look at him, and let me tell you--he's a fine lookin' man! That was one lucky gerbil.