Understanding teens...
Was deadly worried today as never in the past years my eldest daugther come home late. It was almost past 8 this evening when my sister and I noticed that my eldest daugther is not home yet. Since I am so pre occupied with Kevin and my other young ones...I dont really check on my eldest. I set rules in the house to which everybody must follows. Because I am the eldest in the family, they all knew that at 6pm everyone must be home. So then I thought my daugther would be following the rule that I set.
Before, one of the yayas knocked at my room and almost in tears as she found out that Coullene is not in her room. So the I checked it as I dont really see her, went to other rooms, and even asked my neighbor if they saw her. I was in panic call the school and asked what time she finished school today...and the guard told me that he saw her going out around 3 PM with her classmates. I need to drive to where her school service lives and asked why he didnt pick her up. He then just said he thought I picked her from school. I drive around the area trying to look for her...phoned everyone and no answer. Then my sister and I was surprised to see her walking near the guard house. Angrily, stopped the car and asked her to get in. My sister started nagging her as I dont know how to start with her.
When we got home I asked her to go to her room and change. After few minutes I knocked and asked if I can speak to her. I try to be calm though my body still shaking as I knew it was late for her to be home. I asked where she went and why she never informed me of her plans. She just told me she went to her classmate's birthday party. Told her off by not asking permission, and by going home too late. She start crying and told me I should not get angry as she just went to a party. I explained why I am angry, I told her I am not angry to her but to what she did. Explained that she is only 11 years old and that age she must not go anywhere without me knowing it especially now that we still have problems. Burst into tears and told me that she is OLD ENOUGH and can handle her self...
Oh...this is the hard time having teens in the house. Cant understand her at all. But as a mum has to have patient and extra understanding. Dont know what to do with her at the moment. Cant really allow her with going out especially at her age.
but then when he smiles 
I never had a daughter so cant speak from experience,but you have to explain bad things happen sometimes in this life,tell her not every man is as nice as her dad or grandfather,tell her your laying down a set of rules that need to be adhered to for a reason,tell her you love her and that makes you worry about her safety,give her a cell-phone so theres always contact,make sure its always got some load on it,explain its for emergencies and she must keep it handy at all times.I was in Polomolok 2 years ago,maybe 3 
2 schoolgirls got into a tricycle,the driver took them just outside of town where his drunken friends were waiting,the girls bodies were found in a sugar-cane field,children are never really fully aware of the dangers 
Originally Posted by Tawi2
), and I can still remember the days when I go past my curfew, and had to climb up the gates to get in the house! Your 11 year old is still young, and she will only see your advices as criticms. (That's how I felt at that time) You can only wait for her to mature a bit to understand that mummy knows best!
Your daughter is trying to scare you, thinking that if she do what's she's doing now, then you would just bow to everything she wants. Be Margaret Thatcher for once! Don't let her get used to this sort of behaviour. If you need to ground her then so be it, but don't ever give up as she may just end up mocking you if you're not consistent.
