Crueller Than The Wickedest Stepmother

I am the Meanest Mother Ever. You might thing that you're tough, but trust me, you've got nothing on me. I am Medea, Joan Crawford, and Cinderella's stepmother, all wrapped up in one neat little package.

How did I earn my title? I didn't let Diva Girl watch High School Musical 2.

That's right. I denied my 8 year old daughter the joy of participating in the tween event of the summer. Told you I was mean.

How could I do such a thing? How could I deprive my daughter of one the defining moments of her generation? It was really, really easy: I said "no," and I meant it.

Much like almost every other tween girl in North America, Diva Girl has been looking forward to this event for weeks. I've been indifferent, but not opposed. I have nothing against this Disney Juggernaut; in fact, if anything, I'm sort of charmed by it myself. The franchise reminds me of the heyday of the Disney empire--wholesome teen stars like Annette Funnicello in fluffy, wholesome films. In the era of teen queens like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan ruling the media waves, it's refreshing to see a nice, clean cut, multi-ethnic cast dancing around singing snappy positive message bubblegum pop. So it's not an objection to High School Musical per se. It's more an objection to the state of Diva Girl's room that lead me to ban the kiddie crack.

Instructions, demands, bribes...nothing was making a dent in the debris covering Diva Girl's floor. It was time to bring out the Big Guns. So I informed Diva Girl last week that I was done with this particular power struggle. I expected the room to be clean, and if it wasn't by the day of the premiere, she wasn't watching it. Period. And the room wasn't cleaned. In fact, it was messier than ever owing to a frantic search for her Build-A-Bear High School Musical tee shirt--Brown Sugar Puppy needed to be appropriately attired for the event, you know. Too bad she missed it because Diva Girl has the meanest mother in the whole wide world. And the messiest room.

Thank goodness for Tivo, though. Diva Girl may have missed out on how Gabriella and Troy spent the summer, but I've been humming "What Time Is It" while writing this post. Because I am mean like that.

Comments

Don't tell her it's been running here every night at 8/7c since Friday (just in case someone MAY have missed it the first time).

Oh, she knows she missed it, Liz. She was all set to go to Gramma's to watch, because the MME (meanest mom ever) is too cheap to buy the good cable package. Then she missed it. And Gramma tivo'd it--AND the concert. She knows it's just sitting there, waiting for her. That's part of the torture...er, lesson.

Wow, you are mean! I'm so jealous of your cruel street cred.

If it's any consolation, the Bee thinks I'm the meanest mom, too. And all I did was take away her new shoes for a week (after she hit me).

One question though.....did her room get cleaned yet?

yep :)

LOVE IT! I used a similar threat w/my youngest (6 1/2) son. He was not behaving and the room was not clean. No chores = no HSM2! His was done in time, and we all (except older brother 9) enjoyed the show. I craked up when I read you were humming "What time is it" since it's been STUCK in my head too! :)
I even used it today when the boy didn't want to wake up for day 1 of school! I sang "what time is it? Time for school! Summer vacation is OVER..." :)

My girls are in their early 30's and have children of their own. I will never forget the best punishment I ever used. I took the bedroom door off the hinges. She not only had to clean the room, (without the door her room was now part of the rest of the house) but she lost all her privacy. Her TV had to be low, she had to dress in the bathroom, and the telephone wasn't very private. I have heard of other people using this punishment, but when I did it 20 something years ago I thought I invented it. Either way it works real good. Onece in a while both my girls remind me of it and confirm it was the most effective lesson they learned

LOL! There are few times when you can so effectively get your kids to suck it up and do things!

I am frequently the Meanest Mom EVER. It is sort of a comforting title.

Good for you for holding the line! Just think of all the future mom-testing you've prevented, because she's going to remember this one for a l-o-n-g time. In fact, you'll probably overhear her telling her friends, "No, you don't understand... my mom means business!" And that's not such a bad thing! Thanks for the inspiration!

How about this one - Bedtime is 8 p.m.
My daughter would procrastinate her shower until 7: 55 and then of course be up way past 8. After yelling night after night and reminding and begging her to get in earlier, finally Dad and I said if you are not IN the shower by 7:30 then you don't get a shower until the NEXT night. Sure enough, the next night 7:30 came and went and she hadn't gotten in. 8:00 was approaching and I see her heading toward the bathroom with a towel. "What are you doing?" I said. "Getting in the shower." she said. "Oh, no you aren't, it's past 7:30. Off to bed." Then came the tears. I wasn't having it.

I can tell you, she's been in there way before 7:30 ever since. She doesn't want to go to school feeling stinky again..haha I guess maybe that WAS mean, but she got the point.

Go, lady! I didn't quite convince SwingDaddy to watch it on Friday, so I still have to catch up too.

Hey, I've got an award for you at my place. :)

You GO, mom!

Good for you! I am a huge believer in not making a threat I am not prepared to carry out. They need to know we mean business!