[Canadian Outrage]

Hi Prentice!! Believe it or not, an hour ago I had to shut the office door, put up a sign and crash on the couch for an hour. You must be an expert after raising 4 kids. My son decided last night to really challenge everything. He was supposed to go and pick up our ghetto blaster which he had pawned. I gave him my bank card because I knew it was $60.00 to get it back. He was to be gone for 20 minutes. Hours later I decided to check my bank balance and it was like $150.00 less than when he left, a half hour after that it was another $60.00 short. I quickly cancelled by debit card and I was in such a rage I could hardly stand it. Then my husband came home and I got h#ll from him for letting the kid have the car and especially my bank card. However, I trusted him because he's been pretty good for quite awhile. Anyway, by 3.30 this morning he decides to roll in and I left him a note on the stairs and said, "Come to my bedroom when you get in because your in severe trouble? He knocked on the door and I, being wide awake and pumping with adrenalin, got up, opened the door and punched him right in the chest. He's too tall for me get his cheek. I'm telling you I'm still upset today. His eyes were complete with dilated pupils!! I am so mad and upset still that I would like to choke him. I know very well he was up to no good. So you see Valerie isn't the only one who has trouble with boys at times. My husband didn't say anything until this morning. I was just lying in wait for him. What an awful experience having a kid that is such a challenge. I thought we were through with this crap but looks like it may have surfaced again. Told him today, LAST chance if your gonna live here. GRRRRR!! I'm sure you probably handled your situations much more reasonably. In any event, I am thrashed today!! Thanks for letting me rant!!

[Windshark]

Teens...they ain't nothin but trouble....

*sigh*

My boys have been surprisingly good....and yes, they've had their fallings. I have wanted to severely torture them from time to time.

My trump card is that I can still thrash each of them and they know it. I was a seriously good wrestler at one time and can still deck anyone I care to. Walk softly and carry a stick works with teenage boys.

We (my boys came over) stayed up late watching the Red Wings trash the dweaded Avalanche....which is a mite more fun than what you had to do.

So sorry.....but they do eventually grow up.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I take it you dont watch oprah! (just kidding). My dad gave me a credit card to buy school clothes one time. I bought a record album and some blank tapes.. I had no idea the monthly bill itemized the purchases. I lost his trust for a long time and felt horrible about it.

[sweetliberty]

I went through a stage with Dawn that was just awful. She left her husband and moved home with Tyler. Next thing I know she's out partying all the time and she thinks because she's a grown "woman" having been married and all that I had no right to challenge what she was doing, never mind the little detail that she was taking no responsibility for her son whatsoever. Then just when I thought I couldn't take any more, she got in a bad car wreck out cruising around Boulder, Colorado at 3:30 AM, (after a rave). It was a very difficult time. Her dad decided it was time for him to play the hero and she moved in with him. Tyler stayed with me. Next thing I know, the ex is partying with the kids. Great example huh?

Anyway, I really sympathize. You do the best you can by them, and sometimes they just seem to turn on you and it's like you don't even know them any more. I just keep falling back on the scripture that says "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." It doesn't, however, say that they will never stray. It is very painful when they do though.

[Mo1]

got up, opened the door and punched him right in the chest

OMG ... You punched him .. in the chest .. LOL

[null and void]

*sigh* I'm not there yet, any tips on how to never get there?

[lodwick]

God Bless and keep good Christian parents. Mine should have just shot me. Try and remember:

Bring up a child in the way he should go, and when he is OLD, he will not depart from it.

To me, OLD is the operative word, and the key to this scripture. JL