The Battle

                           
My 10 year old, God love her. She is trying to figure out who she is as a person and she has also been trying my patience on a daily basis.

I don't know when it started - maybe a month before school ended but she is driving me to the brink. She is super moody and everything has become a battle. I mean EVERYTHING. She questions or refuses everything that I tell her to do. Even things that are simple. I'm not talking about cleaning her room. I'm talking about basic things that are vital to her existence.

Here is an example:
"I made you breakfast. Go downstairs and eat it."
"No. I don't want to eat breakfast."
"You HAVE to, you have camp today."
"I don't care."
"Go downstairs NOW!" Screaming. I have to scream. Then she goes downstairs. She sits at the table and looks at her food.
"Please eat it."
She just stares at me.
"F**KING EAT THE FOOD."
She slowly begins to shovel the food into her mouth. She has a smirk. I'm just like:

                     
Seriously, that is how it goes all damn day. If I ask her to brush her teeth, go to bed, get out of bed, clean her room, put on deodorant, turn off the TV, come to dinner - we have this exchange. I shit you not, I told her to put on her shoes the other day because we were LEAVING THE HOUSE and she looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Why?"

I feel like I have a 3 year old all over again. I know exactly what it is; she is testing her boundaries and is trying to exert her control when she feels like I am trying to "control" what she does. I understand that it's a normal part of development but it is sooooooo annoying. When I've had it, I throw my hands up exasperated and shout, "Why does everything have to be a battle with you?!?!?!"

So, do you know what she has started to do? She has started to say, "Why does everything have to be a battle with you, mom?" She throws it right back at me.
                  
She said this to me when we had a fight in public the other day while buying school supplies. The day started well, we were having a good time. We had our supply list and were going down the aisle picking out what she needed. Scissors were on the list. They had some Scotch scissors. My daughter protested.
"Those are baby scissors."
"No they're not. They are regular scissors. They are small enough to fit in your pencil case."
"No, they are for babies. I want big scissors."
She pointed to a pair of 6 inch shears.
                              
These were huge scissors. Scissors that could be used to murder.
"Ummm....you can't have scissors like that at the middle school."
She was so angry. She threw up her hands and said, "Why does everything have to be a battle with you, MOM?!?!?!"

She was loud and everyone stopped to look at us. I was so mad at her. "Let's just go," I said between my clenched teeth. She folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

As we walked out of the store, I let out a deep sigh. That's when she lost it. "What does that mean, mom? You think I'm horrible and you just want me to shut up and you hate me."
"I didn't say that."
"Yes you did."
"Seriously, I never said any of that."
"WELL, YOU WERE THINKING IT!!!!!!"

                  
She was being an a**hole to me for what she assumed I was thinking. I was just praying to God to give me patience and strength.

Having tween daughters....that shit is not easy.