How do we turn off our kid's "excuse" button. You know the one I mean. The one when you say, "Did you finish your homework." , and the kid says, "You forgot to remind me." Or how about "How do they expect us to get this when the way they wrote this book is just too confusing."

We are experiencing quite a bit of this at our house right now. Our 12-year-old is having a difficult time accepting responsibility for his attitude toward school. Apparently we're all out to get him and make his life miserable.

Well, of course we are, and that's just what I told him. Yep, we lie awake at night and think, "How can I upset my child tomorrow? What can I do to really tick him off? What can I say that will so upset him that he'll want to storm out of the room?" Yeah, that's what I do because I loooove conflict! NOT!!!!!!!!! Hello? Earth to child.....don't you know that we do all this stuff because we love you!!!!! Reality time..no, they don't get it.