BayCityBabe, I believed that it was my "place" last night as I was being asked to give her *my* money, that my fiance and I do not have a lot of, but I was willing to give her some. I am not like my Mom.. I don't think she should be given money willy nilly no matter how she acts.. Since it was my money, I feel like it was okay for me to set limits on how she could get it and how she could loose it.
The reason I took the cell phone? My fiance's money helps pay the bill. He puts money into the household and it all goes out for bills - Our cells, my sister's cell, electricity, groceries, etc. Sure, my Mom pays a lot of it too, but my Mom had also suggested taking the phone away from her many times she just didn't have the guts to do it, IMO.
I have tried and tried to be her "friend" and sister. There are times after her and my Mom have faught that I sit her down and ask her "Why?" or the whole "How do you feel now? Better?" I have tried giving her advice on how to deal with the hard things that she may deal with when it comes to home or at school. Problem is she doesn't care to listen.. She can understand what I am saying one minute and say she's sorry and do better, and 5 minutes later she is having another tantrum because Mom hasn't fixed her food and brought it to her, or because Mom isn't saying something the way she wants it said. (Yes, she has tantrums over wanting to CONTROL what my Mom SAYS.)
I wasn't fighting with her. I stayed calm, I didn't yell, which is one of my Mom's problems. I kept repeating what I expected of her, and what the consequences would be if she didn't do those things. So she understood completely what was going to happen. She even said it was "Moms fault" that she didn't get the money. I tried explaining to her that only she is responsible for her actions - no one else is to blame that she farted around and didn't do what I asked her to do. (After all, what 12 year old do you have to argue with to get a shower???)
I think my Mom may be catching on a little.. At least for now. She swears that my sister is not getting the phone back for at least a week, except she'll get it on Friday when she goes to the dinner theater and then she is to give it back. Mom also says she's not allowed to go to friends.. We'll see how long that lasts.
I do know that last night as mom saw Sarah "breaking down" and doing what she was supposed to (she'd cry, then stomp her feet, and then do the Math Problem) my mom would look at me and grin.. Like "Wow."
I really want my mom to step up and be a Mom. I think deep down my sister wants that, too.