Mouthy Alyssa

It is no secret that Alyssa is our strong-willed child. She is so different from Gavin and it makes me crazy. If there are rules, Gavin is the enforcer and won't break them (sometimes that is annoying too). Alyssa could care less. She doesn't care about threats or rules or time outs or anything!

We have been really struggling with her to clean up her room. Usually I fight and fight with her over it for days and then I finally go in and clean it up so I can stop being angry with her. However, that is just not teaching her anything. She knows I will eventually do it for her and that doesn't work for anyone. We have told her we would do several different fun activities if she would just clean her room....of course, all we hear is a BUNCH of whining and screaming and crying - but never see any results. She recently got a huge box of Barbies (thanks Marissa!) and she is really excited to play with them - but she can't until she picks up her room. Obviously, she still hasn't gotten to play with them! Bribes with cartoons, movies, trips to the Treehouse Museum or to the Dinosaur Park...or even Chuck E Cheese just aren't working.

The other day, after another reminder to work on her room, she stomped down the hall screaming, "mom and dad, you have ruined my entire life!" Later that day, Mike told her to work on it again and she turned around and pointed her finger at him and screamed, "I am sick of you always telling me that!"

Wow - I was never that brave to talk back to my parents like that. I can't believe she is only 4....I am REALLY dreading the teenage years with her!

I already told Grandma Debbie I am sending Alyssa up to stay with her when she is done with school. I am really tired of the whining and the fighting (oh ya - and the lying! Have I mentioned before how she is the ultimate liar?). I am ready to go crazy!