I Have Attitude!

OK...just a little background before getting into this story:

• first, I take classes for my PhD in Higher Education Research two nights a week--last night was one of those nights;
• second, we usually eat dinner as a family most nights of the weeks;
• third, we are having to retrain our daughters how to be polite at the dinner table--this may include burping, farting and other rude behaviors that they should have left behind (pardon the pun) in 2nd grade;
• fourth, my daughters seem to have forgotten that germs are transmitted through hands, mouths and air;
• fifth, my daughters are teenagers which means they have sudden outbursts; and
• sixth, we "debrief" said daughters every evening to help keep in check the tantrums and we'll give them up to two points on a chart for good behavior and after they've earned 80 points, they earn $100 to use to a large purchase or save for trips, etc.

*****Now, on to the story. *******

We sat down to a dinner of quesadillas (which were mighty good, I might add) and E was late in getting to dinner. After we called her twice, she showed up, put a quesadilla on her plate and started to eat. At this point she said, "my stomach's hurting, and I don't think I want to eat anything."

I replied, "that's fine, you can stay at the table if you feel like it, otherwise, go to your room and rest."

She said, "I'm not sick, just have a stomach ache." (at which point my adult logic said, HUH, but then thought she must be referring to feminine issues so let it drop).

Then she picked up the two quesadilla wedges that she hadn't eaten yet and threw them back on the plate with all of the other quesadilla wedges not yet eaten. I said, "No, no! Don't do that. If you're getting sick, I don't want your germs on my food."

To which she yelled, "I'M NOT SICK!!!"

So, we dealt with the yelling and I went to class. David debriefed her that night and told her that I had talked to him before I left and that I did not like her yelling at me and wanted one of her points deducted for getting nasty.

To which she replied, "Well, mom had an attitude, and I needed to set her straight."