My Little Peanut

Well, life at our house has been up and down.  Since the teenager left, my others have reacted in extremely different ways.  Alexia and Hunter were always the ones in the most trouble.  Since Brandon left, they are sweet, kind, smiling, laughing, helping, and all around better behaved.  Mikey and Cassadie are same ol' same ol'.  Jacob is trying to take on the new role of older brother, so he is trying to direct everyone, which could be a good thing if he would start his conversations with "God, are you stupid?  Or, "Stop being retarded."  Not be constructive there Mr. Jacob.  Guess where he learned that from.  You guessed it....the teenager!  No I have to reprogram him to be a helpful big brother, instead of a hurtful one. 

On to my little peanut!  She is struggling the most.  It is absolutely heartbreaking.  She called him "bubby," and she loved him with her whole heart.  She was the only one he was nice to, and he was very loyal to her.  Maybe because she was the baby in the family???  I don't know!  Whatever the reason, she loved him and he loved her.  Now that he is gone, she feels so lost!  She is getting in trouble at school and at home.  She is acting out in such a big way, and that is so sad to me.  She has a heart of gold, and I have always considered her my least damaged child.  We got her when she was two, so she did not have to endure the ugly foster care system to the extent that the others did.  Her teacher says she is getting a nasty attitude in class, refusing to listen, and pouting multiple times a day.  Guess what??? She is doing the same thing at home!  I am at a loss!  She feels abandoned, and I empathize with her.  However, I am not going to condone her acting out.  Our family went out today, and she had to stay home and do extra chores since she could not be a productive and positive member of the group.  I was going to let her go, and she was completely dressed.  Then she blew it!  She had a meltdown over a plastic cup!  Someone was drinking out of the plastic cup that she was going to drink out of!  Really??? You are going to ruin your entire day over a plastic cup???  We have dozens of plastic cups!  I hope she passes this phase soon.  I want to comfort her, because she endured a loss, but I also feel she needs consequences for her actions.  Where is the balance?  Where is the instruction manual that should come with these little boogars???