Friday, March 14, 2008

It's Official

I have officially Ruined My Children's Lives.

The cause of this may include, but is not limited to:
  • Decline in privileges in direct proportion to the decline of on-time homework.
  • Enforcing the house rule of no socializing with friends after dinner on school nights
  • requiring family members to attend "family" scripture study
  • asking for clean bedrooms and bathrooms before computer and socializing time
  • threatening to give away the stupid dog because nobody plays with her. Heck, I could just go ahead and give away the stupid dog and no one would even notice for weeks. - I didn't have to just threaten, you know...
  • being unwilling to have further discussion about any of the above topics unless the eye-rolling and attitude ceases.
I post this as a public service, so that you can feel better about your weekend plans. Because whatever you're doing? Will be like skipping happily through the sample aisle at Costco, compared to what I'll be doing.

Ah, teenagers.

21 comments:

Janssen said...

That post does not exactly make me thrill with joy at the prospect of someday having teenagers :)

Tami Vincent said...

No wonder we have a day called Mothers Day. We sooooo desirve it. Now all I have to do is say to my children, do you want to go live with your cousins in Colorado. I love it. You are a great mom, I just hope I can be like you some day.

The Dillon 6 said...

all I can say is that I'm glad you're not MY mom! ;)

my oldest is 9 going on 19...already giving us grief and has the eye roll down PAT. Next is our son who is 7 going on 13 ~ caught the first eye-roll yesterday ~ he's a natural! and don't forget our almost 6 year old who tells us that she can't wait until sh'es a teenage so she can sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and go toilet papering and dates where she'll (and I quote) "do stuff" with boys. Our 2 year old keeps us sane.

I wish you much success and a speedy weekend...Monday is just around the corner.

Yvonne said...

The eye rolling is probably the one that BUGS ME the most!!! Especially, when I point it out and get, "I DIDN'T ROLL MY EYES". (I think I should install hidden cameras in the house ; )

Hang in there, mom, one day they will have children of their own and call you to complain and you can be understanding and then hang up the phone and just LAUGH!!!

(Gosh, aren't I horrible ; )

Jan said...

Keep on ruining them Randi. Because you'll look back and see how much they have ruined us (gray hair and a saggy behind):-).

Tori :) said...

I'm scared. My son will be 13 in April. It's all downhill, eh?

Stacey said...

Good for you Randi,way to ruin their lives! It means you care. ;)

I so don't want my kids to grow to teenagers,they drive me nuts already. So far my almost 4 year old is the only one to roll her eyes. Unfortunately hubby and I do it way too often..not the best example to set.

"Q" said...

I shutter

Marilyn said...

ah yes, just last night the 14 year old threw a fit because she thought her grounding started ONLY on the weekend......yup-30 long years of ruining kids-that's me..

Nancy Face said...

I'm proud of you! I need to gear up and get a bit more tough on chores! :S

goddessdivine said...

Thanks for the laugh. That picture is priceless.

I hope you're not ruining them so much that they end up on Dr. Phil or Oprah, relating their awful story of how evil their mom was..... ;-)

Good for you for being a parent. Heaven knows we need more like you. And I quote from Bill Cosby Himself (a must-see by all): "Don't roll your eyes at me; I'll roll your little head down the street..."

Let the beatings begin!

Christine said...

My favorite conversation with my dad:

Dad: My only saving grace right now is knowing that one day you'll have a kid just like you!!

Me: (rolling my eyes) Yeah, but at least I'll know how to handle them.

Dad: Yep, that's what I thought too.

Believe it or not, someday they will look back on these times fondly.

Oh yeah, one more thought. When I quit teaching high school, my students pulled the new teacher aside and said, "Look if you don't get a little meaner like Mrs. Walker was, we're never going to learn."

They complain about rules, but deep down (whether they recognize it or not), rules are really what make them feel safe and secure. They feel like they're flailing without them.

Jen said...

My two-year-old nephew rolled his eyes at me the other day, and I had to ask myself, "Where on earth could he have learned this terrible behavior?" A horrifying answer awaits, but I am still in denial.

Tonya said...

Keep up the good work!! Someday....far far in the future, they will love you for it.

Unknown said...

hi randi,

what mombabe said. he he.

okay, first, i love the screaming kid picture. hilarious.

second, about the eye rolling thing, i have a possible solution for you. i read this in one of the LDS female author non-fiction books. and my 17 y/o ~A had been rolling her eyes all the time at me, so i tried the idea and it worked. my ~A NEVER rolls her eyes at me anymore and it has been about a year or so now.

the author said anytime someone rolls their eyes, get all excited and say ooohh thank you for praying for me, that is so sweet, thank you. and they are like no no wait, i wasn't praying for you. it catches them off guard at first. confusion is good. just say it everytime it happens. eventually the teen gets so sick of it, they just stop rolling their eyes because they don't want you to think that they are really praying for them then. it takes away their thunder and it is hilarious that it really worked with my difficult at times 17 y/o.

hope this helps. happy Sabbath girl, kathleen xo

Janell said...

I never rolled my eyes as a teenager. I only searched the ground and then the ceiling for an answer to my parents apparent "not getting it"ness. That's totally not rolling ones eyes.

Marisa said...

Good rules! And good for you for sticking to them!!

Anonymous said...

YAY!!! Welcome to the club!!

No parent is ready for teens until THEY HAVE THEM.
:D

Anonymous said...

You're doing the right thing by having rules and enforcing them. I have been a little lax about some things lately. I see the ramifications from it already and now it is even harder to re-enforce it!!

It is the way your teens know you care....even if they don't get it until they are in their 30's.

Jillybean said...

Mean mom.

We get the eye rolling thing from our 12 year old. He claims that he doesn't know he's doing it, that it's involuntary.
My favorite is when he rolls his eyes at me in the car, and when I call him on it, he denies that he's done it, and besides, he is sitting in the back seat, and how would I know that he was doing it anyway?

Hello!............ Rear view mirror!

Busy Bee Lauren said...

Aw, the eye rolling. A personal favorite of mine. Luckily I am no longer a teenager so my eye rolling isn't as bad.