My sweet, sweet daughter Grace is growing up to be quite a handful. Maybe it’s poor parenting on our part. Maybe it’s just a 10-year old thing. Maybe we’ve spoiled her. Maybe we don’t give her enough. Maybe I shouldn't have taken this job. Maybe I should become a soccer mom. Either way, I am pretty sure that no matter what I do, someday she will grow up to tell the world that her mother is the cause of all of her problems.
But alas, I can’t throw in the towel just yet, and do my best to enforce a certain amount of discipline when she acts up, talks back, disregards household rules, neglects her pets, neglects her homework, fails to complete her very meager list of chores. I try to match the punishment with the violation, but to be fair, I’m never sure with her, which punishment is most effective. I'm still testing different things out.
When I was a kid, if I was punished (which was probably more often than not) it meant something. I was afraid to get into trouble, and always felt as if I had failed my parents when I did something wrong. Punishment received (whether it be a grounding or The Belt) I would move forward with a new lesson learned, and I knew I would never do That Thing again. I think that what I feared most was disappointing my parents.
What I am dealing with here, folks, is a kid who doesn’t care about punishment. I tell her that she is grounded from TV, and she says “That’s OK, I don’t need to watch TV anyway.” If I ground her from doing things with her friends, she says “That’s fine, I’ll see them on Monday.” If I spank her, she stares at me with this look of disbelief, as if I am the most abusive parent in the world, but challenges me with this stern look and a refusal to cry, as if that rigid smack on her ass didn’t hurt. I know better than to threaten punishments that won’t happen, such as “If you’re not a good girl, you don’t get to go to Caseville this year,” because she would know that didn’t mean a thing.
So, this week I tried something different. She was outside playing, and was told to be back at 7pm. At 7:30 she comes wandering in the front door without a care in the world. I knew she was safe, playing in our neighbor’s back yard, but that was not the point. I had asked her to be home at 7, and she disregarded this. A punishment was in order.
Her choice: No TV until Friday, or a 2-page essay explaining to me why it is important that she follow the rules. (The latter would serve an obvious double-purpose) To my surprise, she chose the essay.
With vigor, she snatched up a pencil and some paper, and slams the office door and went to work on the following piece of timeless literature. This is what she handed to me 15-minutes later, clearly written in haste and with passon. The look on her face was full of self-pride and success, and then she plopped down on her bean bag to watch bad Disney shows. As if she had somehow won.
Why I must listen to my parents, by Grace
I must listen to my parents because they are the boss of me. I have no power so they can boss me around like a little maid. There is only so much daylight in a day so I try to get outside before it gets dark. Mom is mad at me for not coming in on time.
3 reasons why I didn’t come on time
· If I had brought my phone it would have slipped out of my pocket and fallen in snow.
· There was no clock outside
· I didn’t want to keep checking in because it would get cold inside when I opened the door and mom would get mad.
My mom and dad might feel mad because I did not do what I was told. I am a fighter and have a good memory so I make up good points. If mum and dad got points to top mine then it would stop because eventually I would run out of points. My parents should remember that I have a good memory and I’m smart and use big words and love Science. I want to become a scientist. Hmmm I wonder why I get A’s in Science? OK, Mom, look. Just because I can top you does not mean I am stupid. Why are you mad at me because I am smart? When you are mad at me I always have a reason. I must listen because you are my parents and I am powerless. I can’t do anything. I’m sorry I encouraged you to buy your beloved iPhone.
The End
By Grace Y.
