Trying Times

I believe the most difficult time with our kids was when our oldest daughter was a teenager. It was like a major nightmare. We had rules but weren't strict parents. She wanted to defy us all the time. We argued alot and most often about money and curfew. She was 15 and decided it was time to quit school. I decided it wasn't time and she was not going to quit. I took her to get a work permit, she was still in high school, and drove her back and forth to work. She worked at a fastfood restaurant and eventually began to hate it. I reminded her she was going to be there for a very long time if she dropped out of school. Over a period of time, her attitude changed and she decided to go to college. She went and graduated with her under grad. but then decided she wanted more education. She continued on and earned her master's degree and part of her Ph.D. She's in her middle 30's now and has a great career in the mental health field. Time, patience and persistence on my part pushed her in the right direction. I'm so proud of her and do pat myself on the back for hanging in there and explaining to her that she needed to continue on with her education.

I do not remember exactly. I am 64 not 30, and my sons are in their thirties. One time my oldest was very disobedient, he did something he shouldn't of, and after repeated, nos, and other admonitions, my husband gave him a slap on his behind. Well our son said, "YOu hit me!" as if it was the worse thing that ever happened. That was the only spanking he ever had and from then on, both boys were in the best behavior except for the times they went to one friend's house, and went to another's and did not tell us about it and then forget that they had to phone us.

I cannot think of one particular time that was more trying than others. Having a toddler can cause you to lose patience quite often though. My toughest thing is when she gets mouthy or delibrately disobeys me. I try to take a deep breath and talk calmly at first though I do have to raise my voice sometimes because she just wont listen. Its just all part of being a mom I guess.

I've had a lot of them. It's hard to just pick one. Being I have a 7,9 and 15 year old. I think my teenages is the hardest. She's a good kid but she's a teenager. She seems to think she knows everything(as do most teenagers). She'll try to tell me something that I know she's wrong and when I try to corrert her she blows up. All the teenage emotions that she has going on. Their are times when I feel like I am going to loos my mind but I try to take a step back and remember what I was like when I was that age. That usualy helps me alot.