Fairness is not equal opportunity

Hubby and I do allow the children certain privileges and one is talking on the phone. I mean, seriously, I don't HAVE to let them if I didn't want them too. So they have to understand it's a privilege and not a must. I'm required to clothe, feed, and put a roof over their head. So with that being said, the rule in OUR HOUSE is that they have to be off the phone by 10:00 p.m. Some parents would say that's too long, some would say it's not long enough. Once again, that's the rule in OUR HOUSE. Our 17 year old daughter was on the phone one night and the time had starting creeping up towards 10:00 and I see where she is not making any effort in trying to cut this phone call short. All I hear is "girl yeah, I know right!" I look up at the clock and kindly clear my throat to get her attention and then I point to the clock. Why then would she tell the person on the phone to hold on!

She said, "Mom, can I please stay on until 10:30?" Don't get me wrong, just because people say please doesn't mean the answer is always yes, so I told her no and that she is about a minute away from getting off the phone. She tells the girl on the phone she had to go but when she got off, she wanted to know if the rules can be broken in the summer and for her to stay on the phone until 11:00. What did summer have to do with it? Off the phone by 10:00 in the hot, in the cold, in a hurricane, in a twister, in a whirlwind, in a blizzard, in the spring, in the rain means off the phone by 10:00.

Well hubby was on the phone another night and 17 year old comes to me and asks, "If I have to be off the phone, doesn't he have to be off the phone?" I told her to listen while I explain a few things. I told her that me and hubby are adults (I should have said grown), and this is our house and we can do whatever the heck we want to do in our house and that we pay bills in our house and we don't have to answer to children in our house. I also said that when she gets out, she can do whatever the heck it is she wants to in her house, until then, you're stuck doing it the way I say it should be done.  She said, "Well duh, that's not fair." I said, "Deal with it" as I walked towards my bedroom and had a wonderful nights sleep.

Lovingly yours,