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Sometimes I feel like I'm training a dog.

Learning to Stepparent's picture

So, we rolled into the house after DD10's guitar lesson and a trip to the grocery story and I was in the kitchen putting groceries away and all of a sudden I hear DSD5 yelling at DD10 telling her she's "so mad at you!!!" So I go to investigate and find DD10 in the bathroom using the toilet and DSD5 yelling at her through the door.

I ask DSD5 what the problem is and I get the standard bottom lip hanging out shrug thing she gives as her answer to every question she is asked. I told her that wasn't good enough, she needed to tell me what happened. So after 3 rounds of the whiny baby talk she likes to do and me telling her to talk right she finally tells me that DD10 was being mean to her. I asked what DD10 was doing and she said DD10 was telling her to stop over and over. Ok, what were you doing to DD10 that she was asking you to stop? She says she was saying mean things to her. Well, no kidding she was telling you to stop though I'm pretty sure that was all a lie since DD10 was in fact on the toilet at the time. So I put DSD5 in the corner and when she quit pitching a fit I let her out and again asked her what happened and this time she said she was being mean to DD10.

Back when my dog was a puppy I read a book on dog training and it said that in order for discipline to work you have to catch them in the act otherwise they don't know what they are being disciplined for. Hell, I DID catch DSD in the act and she STILL doesn't know what the problem was.

How the hell do you work with that?

Comments

notasm3's picture

It's spray bottle time. Just water (even if you want to put something more disgusting in there). Works with dogs and cats - but may not work with truly disgusting worthless POS skids. But you can try.

Learning to Stepparent's picture

Don't think I haven't thought about it. I once suggested to DH that we dump a big glass of water over her head during the hour long tantrums she likes to throw and he said that would be akin to torture. Ok buddy, whatever.

Ok, so SD5 has some special needs. She has sensory processing issues and likely ADHD. We know this. I understand that. But I'm not buying that she doesn't know why she is yelling at DD10 through the bathroom door when I catch her in the act.

I think it's just bratty behavior and I do not know how to curb it.

Learning to Stepparent's picture

My 3 year old niece is very, VERY similar to SD5. A few months ago DH and I were talking about her and I said that my brother had commented on her behavior problems and DH said "at least he recognizes it, there's nothing worse than a parent who doesn't realize their kid is a brat."

I turned around from across the room with this incredulous look on my face, stared right at him, and said "yeah, I know!!!!!!" Thankfully, he got the point.

Learning to Stepparent's picture

Oh I did. She had no idea as she was in the bathroom with the door closed using the toilet at the time.