I will survive...or do even better!

[whatisis]

I talked with D13 last night and told her that her behaviour lately has been unacceptable. I informed her that her mother and I talked and I am going to enforce the limits that have been established at her mom's. I said she needed to change her behaviour and start acting responsibly in order to get her phone back and other priviledges. I told her that I recognize that she's a teenager now and that part of her wants to be independent, break away from Mom and Dad but she still has to follow rules. I said that I expect that when it is her night to do dishes that they are done right after dinner and that when I pick her up for gymnstics she is to be ready, not sitting down to eat. She said she understood and I told her that her Mom and I would be talking again next week. I also talked about the need for her to recognize that her mother is very stressed out and tired, and regardless of the reasons, D13 needs to keep this in mind or living with her Mom will continue to be a bad experience for everyone. So, last night dishes were done, she stayed away from the internet and phones and went to bed at 10:00 pm. She really is a good kid and I'm sure will work to change her behaviour, it's unfortunate her mother can't be counted on to do the same. These kinds of issues are parenting issues and somehow she sees them as extra-ordinary demands on her! As usual, work comes first, school second and her kids get whatever is left over. It's been this way for years. When I was diagnosed with Diabetes five or six years ago I pointed out to her that she was not very supuportive and she said "I have enough energy for work and school and whatever is left over goes to the kids, I have nothing left for you!" Wow, what a mindset. Anyway, we will perservere. Btw, I worked my ass off at that time to beat the diabetes and won...without her support!