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Please help me see where I am going wrong with DS

32 replies

TempaccountreDS · 28/12/2018 14:59

Sorry if this is a bit long.

DS is 11. Specific example from today. DS had been out all morning with his mates at the skatepark. He came in and lay down on his bed on his phone for 30 mins. I walked past his room and said DS you really need to do your room today. All the DC are expected to keep their rooms reasonably tidy, this isn't a new thing, they've had to help with chores since they were small. I clean them properly once a month. I don't mean immaculate, but crockery downstairs not going mouldy etc. DS's room was a complete pigsty. Food on the carpet, mouldy cups/bowls, stocking chocolate opened and left everywhere. Curtains drawn and clothes and towels covering the carpet.

Another 30 mins later and no movement from DS. I knocked again and said DS get up and start your room please. Eye rolling and loud sigh from him. Knocked again 10 mins later and he's still on his phone. At this point I firmly said, right DS give me your phone and get up and start your room. I went and got him a bin bag to empty his bin into. He's stomping around at this point, muttering under his breath that i'm an idiot. I said don't call me an idiot, you made this mess, his reply 'well you are an idiot, you could have just asked me to do my room fgs' I replied that I had already asked him twice and he hadn't done anything.

Two minutes later and I hear him bringing the hoover up. There is no way his carpet is clear to be hoovered so I asked him what he's doing. He says hoovering what do you think. He's dragging the hoover up by its lead and banging it into the wall. I looked in his room and it's still a tip. The hoover is so bloody tempermental and is a pain to unclog, which he knows, so I tell him he isn't hoovering with all that stuff on the floor which will block the hoover (this is all stuff he already knows). He rolls his eyes and says well make your mind up you want me to clean my room or not.

I go to take the hoover off him and we are then having a tug of war over the hoover at the top of the stairs with him screaming i'm an idiot, he's going to his dads house, i'm so horrible, i'm so mean, nobody likes me etc etc

End game is he is now in his room not cleaning up and im in my room feeling like a shit horrible mother.

He has form for kicking off when he doesn't want to do anything because he gets out of having to do it. I've told him he is not going to his dads or getting his phone back until his room is done. He just shouted 'oh go away would you, your boring me'

Please tell me where I am going wrong, I feel fucking exhausted

OP posts:
formerbabe · 28/12/2018 15:02

Sounds pretty normal to me. My ds (10) rolled his eyes at me saying 'good morning' to him today. Confused

I'd do a ban on food and drink in bedrooms though...My dc are allowed water only in their rooms. Easier said than done I know!

stayathomegardener · 28/12/2018 15:02

I think you are nailing it personally.

Sounds awful but consistency is key.

OhioOhioOhio · 28/12/2018 15:05

I dont know because mine are very small but i read on here that tweens and teens are basically giant toddlers and should be treated as such.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

TempaccountreDS · 28/12/2018 15:08

Food bans in bedrooms tend to last about a week and are then widely ignored. More so this week as they've all taken their christmas chocolate upstairs to avoid sibling arguments over who's is who's.

I hate being called names, especially when I feel like i'm not being unreasonable. If I had called my mum an idiot I wouldn't have been able to sit down for a week. I'm worried he's going to grow up into some horrible abusive lazy man (probably projecting a bit here!)

OP posts:
Dontknowwhatimdoing · 28/12/2018 15:10

As others have said, it all sounds pretty normal. If he's anything like the DC I know he has been massively over excited in the run up to Christmas, maybe had some late nights, and is now having the post Christmas crash. Carry on doing what you are doing, and hopefully in a few days he will be back to behaving like a human being. My 11 year old cried today, because I wanted to take him into town for a haircut!

XXcstatic · 28/12/2018 15:10

I think you are nailing it personally

This. He is trying it on by being grumpy and then by mis-using the Hoover. Why? So he can get out of doing what you have very reasonably asked him to do. Don't cave, OP, or the next time will be harder. Taking his phone is perfectly fair.

fleshmarketclose · 28/12/2018 15:12

Keep hold of the phone and don't give it back until the room is exactly as you want it. Don't engage with him any further as that's just encouraging him to bite back. I'd change the wifi password whilst you are at it and tell him he will get that and the phone back when he has apologised for his behaviour and been punished with a 24 hour ban starting when the room is finished.

TempaccountreDS · 28/12/2018 15:16

I can hear him now lobbing a tennis ball at the wall repeatedly. He knows how bloody annoying it is. Not sure if I should ignore or go in and take the ball off him

OP posts:
TempaccountreDS · 28/12/2018 15:16

@fleshmarketclose, you think i should ignore the tennis ball? I know he's doing it to wind me up

OP posts:
TheCrowFromBelow · 28/12/2018 15:17

Another one saying keep on with it, don’t let it get to you.

And yes it is exhausting and mind blowing boring saying the same things eighty billion times about clothes on the floor etc. but I think it’s just a stage.

My personal favourite is when I get an eye roll and a withering “of course” when I ask if they have everything ready for tomorrow, then 3 minutes before we are due to leave in the morning there is a huge panic about missing PE kit/whatever.

Re the hurtful comments - try not to rise at the time but do explain when he’s calmed down that you find it hurtful. Ignore the stuff about going to dad’s though!

Flowers Cake and Brew

Redcrayons · 28/12/2018 15:18

Sounds like a replay of every Saturday morning in my house (Saturday being room tidying day).
I don't threaten not going to dad's but I will remove the phone and Xbox if nothing is happening after third time of asking.

TheCrowFromBelow · 28/12/2018 15:19

Personally I’d say I have your phone, you can have it back when your room is tidy but for every time for now I hear the tennis ball hit the wall I’m keeping it for another hour.
And start counting the hours... or 5 minutes if you are a bit nicer than me

BatCakes · 28/12/2018 15:20

I'd be putting firm consequences in place if he calls you an idiot again

I have a 12 year old DS and I don't let the bedroom mess even start. I go in every single day and say 'right, what are we tidying today?' ... my view is it's a room in my house and I want it immaculate. He has storage to make tidying simple so everything has its place - somewhere for tech, somewhere for art etc.

My kids are used to me though - I just don't let mess start and it's a running joke that they can never find a thing as I tidy it away

I would help him return his bedroom to tidy. Everything with a place. Keep a carrier bag or bin hanging in his room and all rubbish goes in there immediately and is then taken out every few days and replaced. Worn clothes come out every evening and all toys/ tech is tidied away each night before bed. It literally takes minutes

I know the above is very practical - I don't have much advice re how he's talking to you. Re him saying he wants to go to his dads though.. i would quietly murmur agreement and say you'll give him a call and arrange a visit.

And the tennis ball? I'd go in his room and remove it. Let him shout and shriek when you do. Just a quiet 'I've asked you not to do this' is what I'd say

blackcat86 · 28/12/2018 15:22

Why has his room been left until its a tip? Where are the consequences? Not just one offs but consistent and appropriate consequences.

BatCakes · 28/12/2018 15:24

I also never remove stuff as a punishment - although I know all kids are different regarding this! It just leads to a downward spiral of bad behaviour as a rule

TempaccountreDS · 28/12/2018 15:25

He's going to his dads at 6. He was shouting he was going to go earlier instead.

I'm not concerned with their rooms being immaculate. But they do need to be hygenic!

OP posts:
ForgotTheBastardElfAgain · 28/12/2018 15:26

The only thing I would be more specific when saying initially he needs to tidy his room “today”. If you want him to do it immediately, be specific. That’s the lesson I learned. It’s literally the only thing I’d add though. The next few yrs will be a battle regarding chores, so stick to your routine. They will thank you as an adult, so don’t be hard on yourself now

yodelsay · 28/12/2018 15:26

As pp say, treat like toddlers!

Be consistent
Don't give in
Carry out threats stand your ground!

All easier said than done when some boys are physically bigger and stronger than their mothers BUT I have learnt, both mine were over 6ft by 12, I do have more power and am stronger because I can all their tech!!

Don't argue/fight/get into discussions. This is how it is in my house. Do what I say.

Ps don't fight the small battles, ball against the wall - ignore
Name calling - ignore

And finally make eye contact each time you ask him to do something and back up sometimes with a text so they can't possibly say they didn't hear you.

Good luck. My DSs are 14&15 and it is tough!!

BatCakes · 28/12/2018 15:27

No I get you're not bothered about immaculate - I just have a bee in my bonnet about everything being spot on the evening. So try returning his room to how you like it - with him involved and then tell him you'll be doing daily checks and you'll work with him to keep it nice and clean.

SheWhoDaresGins2 · 28/12/2018 15:29

Im currently in the middle of the samr scenario with my nearly 10 yo. Not his phone but his ipad. Apparently I'm scummish his words and if I don't want him living here I should put him up for adoption dunno where he got that from and is now currently stomping around his room saying I'm horrible and that I am ruining his xmas holidays.

However... he is making progress as he has just passed me a bag for life full to the brim with rubbish.

So stand firm OP Flowers

HollowTalk · 28/12/2018 15:29

I think I'd leave the house if he was throwing the tennis ball, even if I just went round to the shop for something. I wouldn't go in as I'd think it would end up physical. Or you could hoover downstairs so that you don't hear it. The thing is to make him realise he's wasting his time.

Roll on 6 pm!

Whowouldathunkit · 28/12/2018 15:30

You tolerated your 11 year old son calling you an idiotHmm

And you wonder why he behaves the way he does.

BastardGoDarkly · 28/12/2018 15:35

It's bloody hard isn't it op?

Wine is all I can offer Grin

BastardGoDarkly · 28/12/2018 15:36

Enlighten us who how do you handle it?

Whowouldathunkit · 28/12/2018 15:44

He exists on charity. Everything he "ownes" was given to him by you.

I would take everything away immediately. Phone, music players, games consoles, tablets, tv, favourite clothes. EVERYTHING.

Grounded for a week and nothing is returned until he not only apologises, but can explain exactly what he is saying sorry for and why it's necessary to do so.

The above would be my starting point, minimum punishment. He may still think that you're an idiot, be WILL know YOU'RE the idiot whose in charge.

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