Breaking all the rules

Our 14 year old son played in a basketball game with the church and I specifically told him when we were in the car that when his game was done that we would be leaving. He and the youth church members played a really good game and he came in the bleachers where I sat and wanted to know if he could stay and watch the adults play. Why in the world would he come and ack that when I specifically told him we would be leaving. The answer was no he could not stay. He asked again and said well what if someone brought him home. I looked at him and said, "Son, no one is going to bring you home, you are leaving with me, do I make myself clear?" He said yes ma'am. His face went down into his shirt but I had already told him we were leaving because I had something else to do.

Much later in the evening, our 17 year old daughter got a phone call from one of her friends. They have to cut the phone calls off at 10:00 p.m. so at 9:58, I see that she is still on the phone. When I told her that she need to tell her friend that it's time to get off the phone, our daughter tells the friend to hold on. I was in the kitchen putting away some things and our daughter said, "Mom, I figured since I was getting older and it's summer, I was hoping you would extend the phone time to 10:30. I said, "Sorry chic, get off the phone." Then she had the audacity to say, "Couldn't you just break the rules and let up some because my friend is telling me something really good." Now let's pause for a minute. If this had've been at my parents house when the four of us girls were growing up, my dad would get on the other phone and say in the receiver, "Barbara, do you want me to tell your friends it's time to get off or you're going to tell them."

So when our daughter said this, (keep in mind that I'm in the kitchen), it felt like I was in slow motion when I backed up to give her the look. I said in my calm but stern voice, "No, you cannot stay on the phone, and I don't care who you are talking to, I..... want....... you .........to......... get........ off ........right.......now. Rules are rules and if I let her stay on, then I might as well let our son stay at the game earlier. I'm not trying to be my children's friends and making it easier for them will just have them not wanting to leave.....EVER! Well I stood my ground, trust me, they will get over it if they haven't already done so.

Lovingly yours,