Samantha

I think she is going to be the death of me. My sweet Sam...........

Yesterday, I can't tell you how many times I told her no. She has been so obstinate and stubborn lately I don't know what to do with her. The first time she got sent to her room, I was doing the dishes. I just wanted to get them done, I didn't want to have a big mess with water all over the ground. I just wanted to finish the bloody dishes. As you can tell I hate washing dishes. So I've got my hands in the soapy water, and she comes in and asks if she can help. I told her that I would like to just get the dishes done, and I would prefer her to go outside and play.

I'm ruthless, huh?

Well, she got up and stood on the stool and asked if she could watch. I said, "Fine but keep your hands out of the water." She proceeds to try and stick her hands in my rinse water, which is always scalding hot when I do the dishes. So I told her not to put her hands in the water, especially that water because it's really hot. Then she says, "Well this dish that is poking out of the water isn't hot." This is how she does things. She pushes and pushes and pushes until she either gets what she wants or she gets in trouble.

The second time she got in trouble was at Pack Meeting. The meeting was over and all the kids were going crazy in the church Gym. They were all playing on and off the stage. I told my kids it was time to go and that I didn't want them on the stage anyway, because there were too many things up there that could break. I took Samantha's face and said, "Don't go back on the stage, K?" Within 2 minutes she was back up there. So I told her she would be in her room when she got home.

Today, she walked home without her brother and sister. I cannot tell you how many times I have told her to stay with them. She runs ahead with a couple of her buddys. I told her she needs to stay with Duncan and Tori and she needs to tell her friends this so that maybe they will walk with the group instead of way ahead of everyone.

The thing that drives me crazy is she knows she isn't supposed to do this. She hid in our front yard until the other two made it home so that they could all walk in the house together. So she has now been in her room for about an hour. What else can I do with this monkey?????