I don't know if it's the impending holiday season or if my years of in-your-face-overprotective-stick-my-nose-into-everything-and-treat-the-children-like-babies mothering are finally paying off - my kids have been driving me absolutely insane in the last two weeks or so.
My zen is completely gone and I feel like I'm just about to completely lose my shit any minute. Anything could set it off, really. It's not helping that they are having serious arguments about stuff like this:
- "You saw that I was playing with the dog and then you came and outplayed me" (????)
- "I know you're not just listening to music, I saw that you liked something on Facebook so you were online during not-using-time" (um - how did he see that she was on Facebook during non-using-time unless he was on Facebook himself during non-using time?)
- "Miley Cyrus' new album was released when "We can't stop" came out." - "Noooo, it wasn't, it was released when "Wreckingball" came out" (WTF? I don't even know what to say.)
It goes on and on and on - all f@!X*ing day long.
I usually don't get involved into those arguments and just let them settle it themselves. Which usually doesn't happen. The yelling just gets louder and louder until I separate them.
I honestly think I raised a bunch of entitled jerks. I don't think kids just "become" this way by themselves, but I can't figure out where that fierce competition between the two comes from.
We pretty much share everything, have enough money for everyone to get what they need and sometimes even money left over to get what we want. We don't one-up each other or keep score of who owes whom a favour. So WTF? I feel like at least 80% of their arguments are about one kid thinking the other one gets more / is allowed more / something to do with "more" and "unfair".
I try to apply the same principles to both kids, but I don't treat them the same, because they are not the same person. They are four years apart in age, so yes - the older one has more freedom, but also more responsibilities.
Long story short - I have no idea what to do and how to stop this. Maybe there are too many rules in our family. Maybe things should be more relaxed with fewer rules and the kids should just learn a few things the hard way. Fewer rules and less nagging - I mean talking - and more consequences?
Anyway - Oprah has been absolutely no help with this; so I'm asking you: Got any advice for me?