You may recall from the previous message that I sent the kids off to school with messages written in their diaries explaining to their teachers they might be late for their buses and asking if it would be ok if we took them straight to the civic centre.
When I picked them up I had a look at the diaries to see what answers their teachers had sent back. What was there? No message.
Despite knowing how important it was for them to have handed the books in and to have collected at least verbally what they were to do… didn’t do it.
I asked why and they just said “Sorry dad” which is their stock answer to any and everything they do that’s irresponsible or aggravating, regardless who it affects, how much it costs to rectify or what chaos it causes.
Things have to change and as *I’m* changing (possibly because the diet and exercise regime bringing me back to ‘normal’) so *they* will have to. This sloppy “Who cares??” attitude has to be stomped on hard… now.
To begin with I’ve told them there *will* be changes. Sanctions are on the card that are meaningful to *them* for example, the youngest one might be banned from skating, from TV, from using her computer… things she wants and will miss having access to. The eldest, not quite so easy as she is older cleverer and more able to cope with ‘deprivation’ but for her again TV, her computer, her MP3 player etc.
Can’t do much before the wife comes home… but things *will* change. Last week was an eye opener about how rude and selfish they can be without really trying.
Don’t get this wrong. To everyone else they are lovely girls, always polite and helpful. They’re great with other kids and we are constantly told what a pleasure it is to be around them. It’s here at home they are ignorant little gits. It’s almost certainly our fault… or maybe all *my* fault… but I figure it’s *our* turn to get some of this pleasant behaviour other people tell us about and if they have to learn under pressure then that’s just the way it’s going to have to be!!
I’ve had enough!
The Eclectic Interweb 
Its called tough love