Look, I know that every lunatic begins every rant with a reassurance that he is a very reasonable person, but in this case, it happens to be true.
I am.
I know that because my daughter is 13 years old, it’s normal and healthy for her to spend time with her friends, at the frozen yogurt place, at Forever 21, at Staples, at Mother Tortureatorium. I get it.
And I don’t oppose it.
As a matter of fact, despite the fact that I’d much prefer that she came straight home and started a needle-pointing project, I support it. Like literally support it, to the extent of giving her $5 for frozen yoghurt which according to her is nowhere near enough, but we all do what we can during these difficult times.
The only think I ask, the only thing, is that she let me know where she’s going after school and what time she will be home. To make this offer even more enticing, she doesn’t even have to call me– I am totally cool (and the Gang) with her texting me.
“At Pinkberry,” she can text “home by 5.” Smiley face optional.
To her credit, she does it. Except for the days that she doesn’t. And last Tuesday was such a day.
I texted her, I called her, I threat-texted her, I emailed. I called again. I emailed Husbandrinka telling him how mad I was and added “this type of behavior ends today!” which I think I heard on some show once and I’m pretty sure the end result was positive. I seethed and I fumed and then I texted and called again.
Finally, I texted one of her friends. Turns out they were together at the friend’s house. Have her call me, please, I texted.
And she did. Fortunately, she had a lot of good excuses. First of all, her phone was in her backpack on silent, so how exactly is that her fault? Oh, and she thought that she had to text me when she got home, even though every day she texts me when she leaves school.
I did a lot of breathing exercises and explained that there would be consequences to this. Unfortunately, this was not a good time for her to talk because she was busy with her friends. “Let’s circle back to this when I get home,” she told me. “I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
I understood that it wasn’t a convenient time.
After all, I am a very reasonable person.
___________________
Do.Not. Miss. The. Mouthy. Housewives. Today. You’re Welcome.
One year ago ...
- Stomach Ache - 2011
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I think you were pretty reasonable.
So, were there consequences?! I swear, my 3.5 year old girl is killing me with her attitude already and I don’t know what to do!
You know those GPS tracking chips aren’t very expensive and I hear that you can insert them under their skin whitout to much hassle…
Twitter: byrnealaina
March 22, 2012 at 9:06 am
Good thing for texting because I would have flipped my lid with that circle back comment but just simply replied “ok”, also known by the cool kids as “k”.
Twitter: waitinthevan
March 22, 2012 at 9:47 am
So…no one was harmed in the making of this blog post?
You’re a better woman than I am.
Twitter: carinnjade
March 22, 2012 at 9:48 am
This post is going to give me nightmares. You did everything right and she’s still 13. Which reminds me of when I was 13. Which means I have to go research convents for my daughter now.
Twitter: vboykis
March 22, 2012 at 11:15 am
Your daughter is going to be PERFECT in a corporate setting.
Twitter: marta28
March 22, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Definitely reasonable. I love that she told you “lets circle back to this.” Are you sure she’s not secretly a corporate lawyer in her spare time?
“Let’s circle back to this”. I’m hyperventilating.
Twitter: peaceloveguac
March 22, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Since you are so reasonable, my blood pressure just shot through the roof for you. You’re welcome.
That is so sweet of you!
You=I understood that it wasn’t a convenient time.
would be
Me=Head exploding, going to friend’s house, unleashing a hella embarrassing torrent upon my child.
Perhaps this is why I do not have children.
I’m going to need an update with what occurred when she got home. “Let’s circle back to this”!!
This is a semi regular occurrence with my kid. I have gone pretty flippy on her over this and now I’m very dramatic, when she leaves the house, about how she has to keep her phone next to her and call home every hour. She still forgets sometimes. I see the other comments here and I totally understand the sentiment but, really, tweens are tweens. They get distracted by everything. You can’t keep them locked up inside. When you were 13, did your mother ever know where you were before dark?
My four kids each did this once. I didn’t say anything, but turned off their phone. When they noticed it was turned off they said something and I responded, “Oh, I pay for your phone so you answer it when I call. Since that doesn’t happen I assume it’s a waste of my money to pay for your phone.”