Family Meeting

Dee called a family meeting today. Even when we were done, I couldn't figure out the purpose.  She had notes.
1.  She wants her hair braided.  (I said no.  She always takes it down.)
2.  She doesn't feel happy.  We are not happy anymore.  Where is the laughter?  (I don't know what she is talking about, so I just listened.)
3.  Can she have her iPod back?  (Yes, but only one hour a day.)
4.  We don't do anything fun anymore?  (I ran through of list of things we did recently, and we concluded we do fun things, so it must be in her.)

I don't think her meeting went the way she intended.  I think she just wanted her braids and her iPod.  But she couldn't handle the responses she got back.

Even after a tough meeting, I left her home while I went to a meeting.  When I checked on her, she was doing fine and encouraged me to do our grocery shopping.  I came home and was talking to a neighbor who innocently mentioned Dee and the ice cream truck.  I knew then that Dee broke the very first rule of staying home alone.  She went outside.

I told her she lost that right.  When she was sad and disappointed in herself.  I reminded her that she knew she was breaking the rules when she went out.  She had to know if she got caught there would be consequences.  So from now on, she will have to go and spend two hours with the volunteer child care.