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Those Tweens- Ugh!

I am sitting here thinking and hoping that year 10 is better than 9. My DD9 and I are having "issues". I have had no time to prepare myself for the emotional rollercoaster ride we have begun. I, in all my idiocy, didn't think I would be dealing with the emotional upheaval hormones for another couple of years- at least! She is showing no other "puberity" signs- but the gigantic Hormonal one. I am feeling in no way prepared and am left wondering if I am doing things right. I do not remember how my mother handled me with all the sniffling, eye-rolling, sighing and whining. It sets me on edge. She can be a wonderful helper to me- like yesterday when she decided to clean down the entire outside of the fridge- just because she saw it was a "bit dusty" (okay- it was positively rolling in huge dust bunnies) then about an hour later she is purposely taunting her sister and when chastised- rolls her eyes and huffs at me and says that wonderful line- every mother loves to hate "Whatever". Ugh. The line alone sends me from 0 to 60 on the Mad Mom-o-meter. A couple of hours later she is crying and all emotional because her brother (DS2) whacked her with his Thomas engine.
I'm still on this rollercoaster myself some months and wasn't looking for a seat buddy!! LOL
I am quite aware that she is in the midst of "that time of her life" not quite little girl not quite teen- we call them tweens for a reason- their emotions are as inbetween as their growth spurts and age. My brother remarked "She's not a tween, she's a twit." Tongue in cheek, of course. LOL
So here I sit- "not quite ready for this"- is an understatement- more like- completely flummoxed. Yes, that's the word entirely- flummoxed. I understand it in technical terms but am unable to emotionally handle it as a mom. I don't like the looks of defiancy and dislike (don't want to say hate is it seems so strong a word). I don't know how to handle all these raging emotions any better than I can tell her how to handle them.
So as always, I am in prayer over it. I know that I cannot change her feelings/emotional high/lows insomuch as I can change how I look at her and how I perceive them. I can control my reactions better than her actions. Perhaps if I can just find the sweet spot where it doesn't all send me into fits of temper- then go from there.
I wonder- when your DD is acting like a shrew or emotional boo-hoo-hoo, what do you do? I am thinking that a lengthy time-out with a good book would be best (for both of us!)- to remove her from the situation and from my eyesight and hearing.

I have a moody one!!

4:27 PM, 2006-Jun-24 .. Posted by Tinakay

She is 7 on sunday. I did not see it coming. My dh and I are hoping it is her age or growing pains. But I do not know, either. What I remember from childhood is being happy and torturing my mother!!lol (that was not hormonal) So my prayers are with you. I do not even know if I am handling a moody 7 year old let alone a 10 year old wiith hormones. Thanks for sharing I thought I was the only one wondering if I was doing anything right.
<><
Tina Kay
PS How do you like your aprons? I haven't had time to read many blogs. I hope you like them. We love ours.

Tweens and teens

10:55 PM, 2006-Jun-25 .. Posted by Kim

O now have three dds ages 14, 10 , and 8. My 14 you came home in tears from youth group tonight because her two best friends were not there. She was alone and too scared to insert herself into other's conversations. She sat alone on the coudh fo the last hour reading a book while most of the kids played basketball in the gym :( SAD I do get impatient with all the attitudes but try not to stoop to their level. It's not easy. It helps me to see the good days and remember that maturity is not gained overnight. My 10 yo is trying very hard to be more grown up. I try to include her in my kitchen time more since that's what she enjoys. Hang on for the ride. It doesn't have to be miserable but it's guaranteed to be interesting!