Save Me From Preteens

These days I have a preteen in the house. A preteen who started middle school this year. Actually, what I expected to be a year filled with drama has really turned into something wonderful. Sweet Pea has blossomed and really found her footing in the social world of growing up.
My problem is that she has a sister who is three years younger and worships the ground her big sister walks on. Don't get me wrong, I think that's wonderful. And so does Sweet Pea...most of the time. I'm lucky that my girls are very close despite the age difference. I've always been close with my sister and I wanted that for them. Worried they wouldn't have it because of those three years. Apparently I worried for nothing.

So what does this have to do with saving me? Baby Girl has discovered the phone. Much earlier than any of us were ready for. I can definitely trace her new obsession back through our refusal to get her a cell phone to the Christmas before last when Sweet Pea got her cell phone. At one point I had to tell Baby Girl she wasn't get a cell until she turned the same age as Sweet Pea was when she got one and that if she asked again before the age of 9 I was prolonging the purchase by a month.

So she rebelled in the only way she could...she started using the house phone. And she calls people all the time. At all hours of the day and night. For no good reason at all. I know the minute the girls get home from school because I now get a phone call. Don't get me wrong, I want to know all about her day...but she doesn't tell me about her day. She calls me to complain about something Sweet Pea has done - while her daddy is right there with her and in a better position to handle the situation!

I had to sit her down and explain phone etiquette the other day when she phoned a friend at nine o'clock at n

ight. After that incident we instituted a you must ask before dialing policy - which I thought was already in force but apparently there'd been a breakdown in communication.

Dealingwith preteen stuff was bad enough when I thought it was just a few years with Sweet Pea. Baby Girl is 7! I don't think I can take six more years of this.

Someone please tell me this gets easier. Or at least lie to me.

Instigator

P.S. I'm blogging at the Blaze Authors today. Stop by for a chance to win a signed copy of Take It Down - out now!