The ATTITUDE!

Seriously - all you mothers of girls can help to answer this.. when does the "attitude" begin with girls? I'm referring to the "You can't make me" and the "It's not fair" attitudes? I swear, I would not have guessed it to begin as early as the second grade! But it's begun in my household and it's been all I can do to not pull my hair out (although I think it is turning grey!)

So this morning when I got Chloe up, I THOUGHT it was going to be a good morning. I was wrong. From the moment she placed her feet onto her bedroom floor - it was one crisis after another. First her shoes didn't fit right, then her shirt felt "funny". Then she couldn't find her wallet (she received $4 from the tooth fairy last night so she needed to put her money away). Then she didn't want to brush her hair but absolutely refused to let me touch it. Then she didn't want to put a coat on, then she wanted tennis shoes on, but couldn't find socks to wear with them. By the time we got in the car, I felt like I had wrestled a tiger. I was sweating from head to toe, forgot my lunch, dropped my cell phone on the garage floor causing it to break (not completely, it was fixable) and after arguing over shoes to wear, ended up putting my daughter into her booster seat in the back seat with NO shoes on. I have to say, by the time I got in the drivers seat, I was NOT happy. So... the "little" talk began. I told her that these types of mornings were "unacceptable". I explained that when I get her up I expect her to be ready to go with teeth brushed, hair combed, shoes on, backpack ready, water bottle filled and the dog fed. I even found myself saying, "This isn't rocket science, Chloe, these are simple things I need to have done in the morning." ROCKET SCIENCE? Where did that come from? THEN I proceeded to tell her that when we got home, she would have to clean out the entire back seat of my vehicle. It's been a mess back there for weeks. Books, crayons, stuffed animals, shoes, wrappers - - you name it - it's back there. She proceeded to pout saying that I'm mean and she always has to do everything. I said, "Well, you said the other day you want to earn money and I'm not going to give you things and give you money if you can't help around here." (I know, a simple "do it because I said so" would have been fine here - but I feel I always have to justify.) I couldn't have prepared myself for what she was about to say. She replied with, "You don't give me money or anything anyway!!!" ARRGHHH!! Part of me wanted to scream out, "Where do you think that money from the tooth fairy anyway??" but I refrained from that! At one point she did retaliate with "Some of this stuff back here, you put back here!" to which I replied, "Oh yeah, well I don't wear your underwear, but I still wash them every day!" Good one, Wendy!

Bottom line is this - - it used to be that when I got after her or scolded her, she would cry and would get very remorseful. Those days are long gone. Instead, all I get back is attitude and it's killing me!

HELP - - are there any mothers of little girls who can sympathize with me or can give me some great advice on what works or has worked for you???? Hurry - - before I lose my mind!