Question
Hi, my question is about my 13 year old daughter. I am unsure how to discipline and respond to certain types of little acts of disobedience. For example, she knows not to get her one-year-old brother out of bed in the morning when he first wakes up, but to wait for me to do it. I have told her that numerous times before, but every now and then she will still do it. She also knows to put her dirty bowl in the dishwasher, but she also doesn't do that at times. Concerning examples like these, I do not assume at all that she forgets, but that she is just trying to get away with doing what she wants to do. However, I don't know how to respond to these things. With the bowl for example, I make her get up and go do it, but I wonder why I have to remind her of something that she knows to do? And with the crib thing and her brother, I remind her also and tell her not to do that, but other than getting frustrated and telling her that she knows better, I don't know what to do. These are just two examples, there are more things like this at times, but since they're not huge things, I don't know how to respond to them other than just saying something. However, I feel confident that behind these acts there is an attitude of trying to get away with doing what she wants, or trying to get away with not doing what she knows she's supposed to do. Therefore, in the back of my head I feel there is something that needs to be done, but I'm not sure what to do in these little situations. Can you please give me ideas of what you would do in response to these types of situations? Thank you so much!
