For about six months now, Minnie and I have been at war. I'm talking door-slamming, screaming, crying fights. It's gotten pretty bad.
I realize that this is about 90% my fault considering I'm 30, and she's 11. But wow. She has the ability to bring me down to her level in about 3.5 seconds. All the sudden I'm in junior high again and yelling things like, nu UH!
Two nights ago, she threw a raging fit because I let Quiz watch a show on the "big" tv in the living room while V and I went to a church meeting. This was meant to keep him out of her room and minimize the bickering potential of them being left alone for an hour. So anyway, Minnie starts whining about how she never gets to watch the big tv. All while sitting in her room, in front of her own computer, holding her cell phone, and watching her OWN tv. Yeah. That was about enough to send me over the edge. Seriously, kid.
What usually ends up happening is that V gets in the middle and tries to shut us up. And then Minnie starts crying to him about how much I hate her and how she's never coming over here again.
I'm at my wits end and have decided that I'm just not mature enough yet to have an 11 year old. Most parents have 11 years to prepare for this age. To perfect their patience levels and selective hearing. I've had 4 1/2. It's just not enough time to prepare for World War III. I need advanced training. Boot camp perhaps.
So, I've been feeling pretty inadequate for the past 6 months, wondering how I let it get this bad. Then at church last night, there were 4 of us standing around--all women with 11 or 12 year old daughters. And one mentioned how often she's been fighting with her daughter lately, and the other 2 chimed in with similar horror stories. I was so RELIEVED. It's not just me! It's not just a step parenting problem!
It's an epidemic, I tell ya. 11 and 12 year old girls need to be quarantined.
Although I don't completely understand what it's like to mother an 11 year old girl, I do teach 95 11 year olds everyday in school...half of which are girls. I feel your frustrations...lol.
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you. Mine is 17 but I have been her stepmom since she was 5. I totally feel your pain. But believe me when I say her mother is in exactly the same boat and you get to deal with it for a while yet. Fortunately she will grow up and "get it" after she is out in her own. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWe went to try to get custody of the kids on Tuesday. My husband's ex was arrested for a third degree felony, and she bailed out in a few hours. The judge looked my husband in the eye and said substance abuse isn't enough to pull the kids out of her home. We're at our wits end! This is awful.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous that is insane!
ReplyDeleteEvil Stepmother - My daughter is 15 in 3 days and it isn't any better...good luck to both of us!
OMG, I was awful (A-W-F-U-L) to my mother starting at age 11 and going through until about 15. I sincerely doubt it's you.
ReplyDelete