DD1 is 7 years old. Will be 8 in a few weeks' time.
We have just had a huge temper tantrum from her - I'm surprised the neighbours didn't come knocking to see if we were beating her (actually neighbour did come knocking when everything had gone quiet to ask about something else but I'm sure it was an excuse to see how things were here ).
We asked DD to tidy her room and basically she said she didn't want to. We told her that we would like her to. It was a total mess, could barely see her carpet through hundreds of pieces of toys etc. DH said he would help her while I bathed DD2. All the time DH was helping she really didn't want to be doing any of it. Her tidying was just throwing things across the room. She was being as awkward as possible. DH would ask her to pick something up and she would pretend that she didn't see it. She kept telling us we were mean and bossy and she wanted to have a bath. We told her that she could have her bath once room was tidied. We weren't getting anywhere with her so I told her I would get a bin liner and put the lot in it if she didn't co-operate. She went absolutely nuts when we went to do this and shouted that she would tidy her room. We gave her the chance but it made no difference.
I can't believe the temper she had. (where's the crying emoticon?) Throwing things around, slamming doors and absolutely screaming her head off.
At this point I had had enough. All the way through I hadn't shouted once, I stayed calm and didn't smack once.
It all ended with me dunking her in the bath, quick hairwash, straight into PJ's and bed. Bedroom looks no tidier and DH and I are now sat here feeling very very low now.