Right that's it... I've had enough... Time to call in the MN advice..

[poppiesinalinewithtinsel]

DD (6 1/2) is a stroppy mare. Gives me no end of grief. Has endless 'time out', things taken away etc etc. But also, praise and reward for good behaviour blah blah.

She is however, a perfect angel at school or when she goes round other people's houses to play.

BUT: she has a habit of 'showing off'/playing me up in front of people and it makes me really . I don't know how to handle it. I always stand firm and never let her get away with it so to speak but feel like it needs more drastic action but I am at a loss to know what else to do.

What do other people do?

i had noticed that fortyplus. i am thinking and hoping that apsmum has seen the error in this particular way of hers following the response she got on this thread and is quietly trying to sweep the whole thing away now... along with vowing never to do it again.

so long as she is doing the latter, i for one am happy to let her away with the former.

if she feels persecuted she is unlikely to return to mn and benefit in future as we all do from the wisdom herein...

Agree with NG, totally.

Yes, I agree. I have to say that I felt quite upset today thinking about a little boy being shut in a dark cupboard - or even threatened with it.

The good thing about mn is that it gives all of us the chance to see a different perspective on life - sometimes this will make us feel good, other times sad. Whatever the case we all learn so much from others' thoughts & experiences.

I think apsmum will be very shocked by everyone's reaction and won't use this tactic again - at least I hope so.

fortyplus,etc,.....I NEVER mentioned ''shutting him up. I was never aware of time-outs with shut doors.I neever do them. I said the room is dark because it is when we arnt using it. I hope we will STOP this now. I am not tryinmg to sweep anything out of sight. I love my baby and I dont want to be upset with the posts here again.

apsmum - 'He is scared of the place, and usually just verbal threat is enough.'

Jus't don't scare your child to discipline him then, ok?

nappies - yes 3 times I keep going and getting it out the library - ought to buy a copy really. Its one of those books though that seem to disappear from my brain the second I return it to the library. Although the tactics in it are very good, i do find them hard to do in RL IYSWIM. I was half way through a conversation with my DS1 once following the 'book's technique' and then he said something that threw me and I literally said 'hold it there one minute. I'll be back' and disappeared into the loo with the book to see where I was meant to go from there I returned to see a very bemused DS1

PMSL at having to stop discussion half way thru to read up on tactics! i can so see doing that!! hehehe