Question
My 13 year old son has taken to holding our entire house hostage at bedtime if he is upset about something. He will bang on doors, wake his brothers, and can be mildly destructive. Last night he began this behavior because I wouldn't let him keep his phone in his room. After I took the phone he began a 40 minute tour of belligerence. He finally calmed down but refused to get in bed so slept on the floor. He is now a wreck today and because I told him he would lose his phone for one week if he didn't stop his behavior, I am anticipating more trouble tonight. He will continue to make everyone miserable until he gets his way. This morning I tried to talk to him and let him know that if he realized he made a mistake last night and would acknowledge that, we could reach a resonable compromise. He instead dug his heels in more about "punishing" me tonight for taking the phone. He's a very intelligent and otherwise well adjusted boy. I hate seeing him so angry and consumed with revenge, and it's not fair to his father and me and his younger brothers to be subjected to these tantrums. I absolutely don't want to give him the phone back, but our house needs sleep.
