Urgh it's been a long weekend. I'm kind of glad to return to work. It's a battlefield at home with the kids behaviour at the moment. I know you have to be firm with them so they learn to behave, but it's difficult, because punishing them ironically means punishing yourself. They can't play video games, so you can't, they can't watch TV, so you can't. Especially when your trapped in two rooms, and they're always in your space anyway, there's no where to go to do things by yourself. So you all just suffer together. Beeb made some effort over the weekend, and generally improved, but occasionally you have to crack down quickly on his backchatting. Micky on the other hand, seems to enjoying being in trouble. She decided to go and draw all over some items with permanent marker on Sunday. Honestly it's hard to accept that child is nearly into her teens - she behaves like a little baby sometimes. So she's receiving more punishment, but you can tell that it doesn't really matter to her. Should loan her to the Americans - she'd make their CIA interrogators in Guantanamo Bay crack for sure. Doctor Phil preaches "you have to deal with children in their currency." How to you deal with a child that doesn't give a shit about anything? She's currently close to losing her trip back home to NZ in October - but still doesn't look phased. Even the suggestion that she'll be kept back to repeat this year at school doesn't seem to bother her - although she did get creative, and go bleating to my son's teacher at school about how she is being punished for his misbehaviour! She should get an A+ for manipulation.