MEAN MOMMY

My oldest niece, Myca, is now 14 years old. My daughters and other nieces simply adore her. Since they've all been able walk and talk, they have very much followed in her footsteps as far as their interests, hobbies, style, music, mannerisms, etc. This is all wonderful and dandy because Myca is such a beautiful soul, except I believe they could've all done without the teaching of one particular game she taught them. When Myca was 9 she and my daughter, Silia (who was then4), were playing house, just as little girls do. My sister Tracy and I were in another room when out of nowhere we could here Myca barking orders at Silia..."PICK THAT UP NOW!! DO YOU WANT TO BE GROUNDED? THAT'S IT!! GO TO YOUR ROOM!!" It was very out of the ordinary to hear Myca yelling at all, but especially at her little cousin. So Tra and I went to where the girls were playing and asked Myca what was going on. She simply stated "Oh, it's okay Mom we're just playing". Tracy got a little frustrated and told Myca that talking like that isn't "just playing." Myca turned and said with all innocence, "but that's how you play Mean Mommy!" Tra and I couldn't help but laugh. Later we had a really long discussion about how ashamed we were to have REALLY been the ones that taught the girls that game.

So this is sad to admit, but my girls rarely ever play "Mean Mommy" because I "play" it enough for the whole family! Especially lately. Yesterday it was more like "Monster Mommy."

I was feeling under the weather and not that that's an excuse to be such a grouch, but gee-whiz give me a break, PLEASE! I stayed upstairs most of Wednesday and yesterday, doing little chores here and there. When the kids got home from school I asked them to please make sure their downstairs chores were clean because my Visiting Teachers were coming over. They completed their homework and did their daily chores (or so they said). While the kids were still at school I had put some laundry away in their rooms. I noticed Silia's closet floor was umm...nowhere to be found. I made a mental note to have her clean it when she got home. My kids will always come and ask me when their daily chores are done, if there is anything else I want them to do. When Apolo did this, I asked him again if the downstairs living room was clean with no trash, toys, clothes, dishes or anything else on the floor and he said yes. Fine, I gave him permission to go play outside. When Silia came and asked if there was more to be done, I remembered her closet and told her to go ahead and get to it. Not even 5 minutes after I assigned her to do that I hear things hitting her bedroom walls, I see toys and clothes being flung out of her room, and also hear stomping and forceful crying coming from her room. I went into her room and told her to stop feeling sorry for herself and if she didn't stop I'd give her more to do. Right then my VT showed up and so I also assigned Silia to watch Sunni in her room while they were there. So, I went downstairs and let them in and as I walk around the corner into the living room I see a cup, papers, some popcorn, a necklace and little pieces of trash all along the floor. I felt my ears turn red, partly because of embarrassment but mostly because I instantly went back to Apolo reassuring me that he cleaned and picked up anything that was in the living room. The VT were here and they saw the mess too so, Apolo would have to wait to get his tongue-lashing (remember I was Monster Mommy yesterday). A few minutes into the VT message I hear Sunni crying and she sounded really close to the stairs. I figured Silia was standing at the top of the stairs holding her purposely letting Sunni's obnoxious crying to be heard. I was trying to figure out why they were just standing there when I realized that slowly the cries were getting closer. By now my blood is boiling because she already knew she was suppose to keep Sunni in her room. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Sunni's little feet and bottom scooting down the stairs. First of all this was her first time ever coming down the stairs alone and secondly because of that fact any second now she could possibly be tumbling down the rest of the way. I ran up and got Sunni and couldn't help but holler for Silia to come down and get her. When she did, and I made sure my VT weren't looking, I gave her the meanest "You're going to get it" face. Do you think that stopped her from acting out? Oh NO! This girl stomped all the way upstairs and slammed her door and then continued to let Sunni cry while she threw who knows what around the room, making loud unnecessary noise. Although my VT stayed for maybe 15 minutes, IT WAS THE LONGEST 15 MINUTES OF MY LIFE! All I could think about was how these kids were so going to get it when my VT left. When they did, I called for Apolo to get in the house and Silia to get her sassy behind FRONT AND CENTER!! I chewed these 2 out like it was nobody's business. I reminded them that playing outside is a privilege and not a right, that lying to me is unacceptable, that acting out is not tolerated and that taking short cuts when it comes to their chores has a price to pay. I grounded them and foreshadowed their weekend for them, which means you can all come to my house Saturday night because

1) my walls will be clean
2) the baseboards will be shiny
3) our front yard and drive way will be without rocks, trash and toys
4) the living room and family room floor will not have cups, popcorn, papers and other trash on it (in other words they will be completely spotless)
5) everyone's closet floors will also be clean

and 6...well, I was going to make them do the tile grout too but I thought that was a little much (what do you think?). If any of you are wondering, YES, I do feel a little guilty for such dramatic consequences. So...tomorrow night Fasi and I are taking them to a little Christmas festival. Oh yeah, so you can't come to my house tomorrow night cause we won't be there...oh well, maybe I'll take a picture of it!!

a funny quote I found: . "Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young." ~ Author Unknown