Sunday, June 24, 2012

Groanin' Pains

Since returning from Disney World (and turning nine years old.  Woot!), Baby Puppy has been . . . difficult.  Oh, she's not defiant or anything like that.  She's not throwing fits, talking back, or stealing my car for midnight joy rides.  It's such a small thing, I probably shouldn't even mention it, but . . .

She groans.  Repeatedly.  About everything.  With all the pent up angst and drama a newly minted tween can muster.  And, she follows me around when she does it so that I don't miss a single mournful note.  It makes my palms itch to smack her.

So, what do you think?  Should I ignore it (my current approach)?  Send her to her room so she can suffer melodramatically at her leisure?  Or, turn the whole thing into a drinking game and pop a cold one everytime she groans?

26 comments:

Fireblossom said...

I have no idea. Does that help?

Brian Miller said...

joy joy...enjoying the years i have until tweendom...ugh

Akelamalu said...

Oh she's starting the teenage angst early, lucky you! NOT. I feel for you m'deario. I hate to say it but things will probably get a lot worse. :(

Lynn said...

Drinking game. :)

Denise said...

The nature of things. That doesn't help I know. Every child is different so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for the other. Doesn't help either, so without imparting further annoying remarks I'll leave and wish you well and good luck :)

G. B. Miller said...

I would suggest the nature of things, but since my daughter (11 going on 25) has been neck deep into this exact behavior for about a year and a half, you may have a long, long wait for her to grow out of it.

If ever.

eileeninmd said...

Sounds like she is 9 going on 19. My son is 19 and believe me are are in for much more fun. Enjoy!

fsmum said...

No advice from me as my little fella is only four and a half. Well able to have what I imagine are like tweenage strops though!

A Lady's Life said...

lol

I'd follow her around and groan lol
Two groanin people is better than one and then you will have something to laugh about.
Sometimes turning something awful into something funny is the right solution.

TexWisGirl said...

i like the idea to turn the tables on her and groan a lot yourself. :)

it's only going to get worse...

Sylvia K said...

Yep, I agree with the last two gals, turn the tables and groan on, Mama!! Oh, and be sure to follow her, too!!

Tammy said...

I told them that noise was the sound of someone who needed chores to do. They learned to run from me. Which they do in their teens, anyway, so it's good practice.

Tara R. said...

My kids had the heavy sigh and eye roll combo down to a science. It drove me nuts. Thankfully for my sanity, they eventually outgrew it.

Kelly said...

Hey, the drinking game sounds fun to me!

My youngest will be 23 this week and I have managed to block much of their tween/teen behaviour from my mind. My first thought was to ignore it...but I kinda like that idea of turning the tables back on her. :)

happygirl said...

Drinking game, but I recommend vodka over the brewskies. :)

Pat Hatt said...

Getting drunk could cure the funk.

Pat said...

I'd groan back. Maybe she'll get tired of hearing it as much as you do!

HermanTurnip said...

Heh...I'm with Lynn. Brilliant idea!

SandyCarlson said...

I'm with TexWisGirl! Groan with her and see if she notices. Have a friendly wager with her dad on how long it will take her to notice. Get him to groan, too.

....Petty Witter said...

Ah the joys of childhood. I remember when Niece #1 was going through this phase and having tried just about everything else I decided to play her at her game and like A Lady's Life would moan every time she did except I did it in an even more exaggerated way, she soon got sick and stopped.

Leonora said...

Oh goodness! One of our four girls was a groaner, or growler was more like it. She eventually stopped growling on the outside but I'm sure she was still growling on the inside. I don't think it was anything that we did that got her to stop. She's 19 now and does not ever growl/groan.
Some kids respond to $$. You could dock her a nickel/dime/quarter for every groan.
Or you could use the "Surprise Reverse Tactic" and hug her and tell her how much you love it when she groans. She might get tired of that.
Good Luck and I enjoy your blog!

Leovi said...

It seems like a wakeup call affection. Maybe I identified with some of the characters in Disney World.

Stewart M said...

The drinking game is tempting, but possibly not the best idea - I know where you are in the parenting stakes!

Cheers - Stewart M

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

Mine is only 7 and she does it too. If you figure out a good way to deal with it, let me know. Currently I send her to her room but a drinking game would make thing more interesting.

Debbie said...

haha....well don't send her to her room. i'm sure her room is similar to disney!!

i think sending them outside to play is more torture ;)))

Misty Dawn said...

I vote for the cold ones :-)