Domestic Pet Peeve of the Day: Sticky little sesame seeds left positively everywhere in what was apparently a kitchen explosion that occurred while I took Sister to ceramics camp this morning. I thought a sink full of coffee dregs was bad yesterday? Ha! Clearly, I am the only with the ability anymore to even see kitchen messes, much less tidy them up.

And that was just part of a crappily started morning. Sister is being so horrible lately. I don't know what the hell is wrong with this 8-year old child of mine. I am seriously contemplating calling up her dad and asking him to take her from me early this weekend rather than deal with her crappy attitude til Sunday night. From the time that she descended the stairs in a fancy skirt and blouse this morning, bound for clay class and staring at me challengingly, daring me to send her back to change, til the time that I picked her up this afternoon and witnessed her slam the door practically on her baby sister's nose (causing much screaming) and then refuse to look me in the eye while I very calmly asked her to correct her various ill behaviours, she's been an absolute pill. To quote a friend talking about her own pre-teen daughter at a party several years ago, "I just don't like her very much right now." I really don't. And isn't this stuff supposed to happen when they're, like, 12 or something? Not 8?

What are you supposed to do in this case anyway? I mean, she's my kid so I can't REALLY send her off anywhere. If she rolls out of bed doing petty, rude shit from minute one, what the hell do I do? Ignore it? Give her time outs, which I really think she's outgrown? Deny her privileges? Is it time to start GROUNDING her? And how am I supposed to ground her when she has no social life to speak of, goes to her dad's house almost every weekend, and doesn't even watch that much t.v. that I could take away from her?

I am at a loss here. I'm just grateful to have the nice daughter of a good friend here for the next few afternoons to keep Sister out of my hair. The other girl is safe. Sister saves her snakiness for mama.