RAWR! - Parenting Pre-Teens

People are always telling what a lovely polite, well mannered, delightful and happy young lady I have in Ana.

Where? I hardly ever get to see her! I mostly get the spitting snarling beast, who takes any suggestion that she may crawl out of her pit and do something as a personal affront.

We have had a lovely 'discussion' over her 'right' to computer time.

Ana is allowed an hour of computer time if she

1) Keeps her bedroom tidy

and

2) Behaves towards myself, DH and her sister in an appropriate manner.

Today, not only has she refused to tidy her room properly but she has stolen and half eaten her sister's Milky Bar.

Last night she was given a Milky Bar, same as her sister but because Amy was unwell and didn't want to eat it, I put it on the top of the cupboard in the kitchen (where sweets are kept).

When Amy asked for it this morning, I got it down to discover only half of it remained. Where the other half should have started was a large bite mark. Unless we have some rather large mice knocking about on the tops of our cupboards there can be only one culprit

Computer time today has been revoked. Apparently this is unfair because

1) She only ate half of it and left some for her sister.

2) Amy was unwell and didn't want to eat it. So by rights it should have been passed to the next sibling in line. Her.

3) She has now tidied her room, (Read: Kicked all the crap under the bed) so according to the ancient laws of 'I shall do what the hell I like' I am required to give in.

I have pointed out that the fact she has cleaned her room and only ate half the bar is neither here nor there. She knew she was doing wrong as she went to great pains to re-wrap the Milky Bar and disguise her clandestine munchings.

I am now being treated to stomping feet, slamming doors and snide under the breath growlings.

Later she slithered down the stairs and enquired as to whether she could have a treat. My answer of, 'you've already had a treat today, half a Milky Bar,' did not go down well and resulted in elevated banging and stomping.