The Fourth Day Of Christmas

Glendale Glitters was the destination for the fourth day of Christmas!
My plan was to take the kids and friends there to enjoy the lights and sample the holiday atmosphere. We were going to go at about sun set and do dinner there. I thought it would be a perfect way to start the week before Christmas! I was so excited!
Mark and Amy decided to go to a friends concert instead. And that's okay, they are teens after all. Meg had invited a friend, so that would still be fun.
But Meg's bad attitude earned "No Fun Outing". I was so sad. But it was a learning opportunity for Meg right?!
[Your actions show me what things you deserve]
I stayed busy, and Meg kept earning more chores. She also kept taking the phone calls from her dad. Yet she would not talk to me.

I JUST WANTED TO GO TO GLENDALE GLITTERS!!!

I went outside at one point to check on my darling daughter. She was storming around the back yard kicking the block fence. I asked her what was wrong. She said I just needed to leave her alone and let her live her life. . . . she is 12. Right?! So I sent her in to finish what she was supposed to be taking care of.

I talked to a friend, who agreed that my "Better attitude, chore list and home work schedule" was a good plan. My friend said I was not a failure as a parent. But I still felt like one.
Then I heard Meg yelling in the back yard. So as I stood on the patio watching her, she hung up with her dad and I asked what was happening. I was informed that its all about me and I need to let her live her life.
Yep she is still 12! I again explained that to her and that her job is to be the kid, be responsible for her grades, her chores and her attitude. I was informed that me getting the divorce ruined her life.
How is that? Nice home, nice school, nice things, she has two homes. Less anger, less tension, less yuck.
As I was finished with the back yard love fest, I heard someone at the front door. . . . . . .Oh, it gets better!
(DID I MENTION THAT I WANTED TO GO TO GLENDALE GLITTERS??)
At my door were, not one but two of Peoria's Finest!!! Yep, the police had been called.
By who? Oh I'll give you ONE guess! I welcomed them into my home. They asked if everyone was okay. I said yes. I asked why they had been called. They said that the DAD reported that our daughter said that if she stayed here someone would be hurt. Okay, up to this point I'm still thinking home work, chores and attitude. One officer spoke to Meg, one spoke to her dad. They took a look around the house. (tidy, clean, nice, well mannered kids) It didn't look like there was an issue. I answered the questions, then I asked a few. Why were they here? There is no abuse, I may have raised my voice in my back yard but that was seconds before they got there. I am sure they heard all of that. Why? The issues...Home Work, Chores and Attitude. Since when are the police called for that?
Okay, she is twelve. And she knows just how to manipulate both parents when she wants something her way. Home work, chores and an improved attitude are not on her preferred things to do. But she lets her dad know how mean I am and how I am ruining her life. She then told him that if she stayed here she would kill herself or me. Well, there you go. I guess when you don't get what you want you add more drama right?!
I don't know what they spoke to the dad about, but I know that everything they said to Meg was just what I had said earlier. WORD FOR WORD! I told them the issues, the failing grades, the lack of family support, the disrespectful attitude. I told them what my game plan is, more hands on homework dictatorship, more mandatory chore time, rewards and consequent for behavior. We will be meeting with the intervention specialist and the principle this week, and maybe all the teachers, because my homework help is not getting us far enough.
The police man also suggested that next time this happens, I need to let them take her to Juvenal Detention.
They will keep her in lock down for 23 hours. It may help make a impression on her he said.

As I walked them out, I thanked them. They told me that I am doing the right things, and perhaps dad will get on the right page in time to save his youngest from herself. That if I feel like things are getting out of control again to call them and they will pick her up for "Plan B". They were super nice, they said some great things to my little girl.
I sat in my chair. I just looked at my daughter. She is 12. If I lose her now she wont have a shot at later. I know I have to do ALL the hard nose mom stuff, so she will see her potential, so she wont fall through the cracks. I will do all that, because I love her. But I am so tired of being kicked in the head.

(GLENDALE GLITTERS so sounded like a much better way to spend the evening.)