Not spoilt any more, oh no!
Our child is now the nicest person you could hope to meet, but 7 years ago it was VERY different.

Ever wondered why spoilt brats get like that? I'll tell you. Have kid late after years of trying, then Dad proceeds not to rock the boat while Mum is spoiling child because he likes living under a roof, then let it all get really out of hand by working insane hours to keep up with demands for unnecessary crap.

It all came to a head on a holiday abroad. After Mum spent 2 HOURS to get child out of bed, offering her food from a kneeling position, having it spat back at her, I'd had enough.

"I'm going for a shave. When I get back, she will be up, dressed, and eating at the table. You will not help her. You will instruct her. I married a woman, not a slave to a fucking little bitch. Yes, LittleScars, I mean you. (Howls) If it doesn't happen, I will cycle to the nearest station, get to Paris, take the Eurostar home, and the first one there changes the locks. Ten minutes, starting now."

I've been scared before and since, but never like that. Still, I got back, LittleScars was eating nicely, MrsScars was pale but calm, I nodded at both of them and we started our new life.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 21:45, 7 replies)

Nicely.
If I ever grow up, get around to marrying someone, having a sprog who happens to be spoiled, I have my inspiration.
(Ikea Boy, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 21:49, closed)

bravo!
take the little fuckers firmly in hand and stop the rot before it spreads any wider.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 10 Oct 2008, 1:31, closed)

Hmm
Just out of curiosity, why was it the Mum's job to do that? If you had such strong opinions then why weren't you doing it?

Yes it is a very good way to deal with a spoilt child, but parenting is a two part thing. Just the way it's coming across is a bit...off
(Holy Gabrielle is Holy, Fri 10 Oct 2008, 3:12, closed)

elements of ^ this
One of the common things you always see on supernanny and the ilk is that the parents don't back each other up.

However, that's not to say there's not more to this story than we don't quite understand.
( bluemeat has been best of all the animals since, Fri 10 Oct 2008, 10:15, closed)

Oh, I tried, I really did
Basically, I was constantly undermined. Any instructions or requests were countermanded, usually with "Daddy doesn't mean that". It was made fairly plain that going loopy would result in "get suitcase, pack suitcase, fuck off." You lie to yourself when you love someone: "There's always tomorrow" or "maybe this time she'll see the light". Occasionally, when I was with LittleScars on my own, we would be calm, happy and stable. Then the dismal circus would restart.

I brought it to a head in France because I no longer cared. The two people I loved the most were the people I despised the most. So I showed them a naked blade, as it were.

Had it gone the other way, I would have wept buckets, but over the loss, not the decision. After it was long past, I found out that what I witnessed was by no means the worst. A neighbour told me LittleScars had been seen kicking her mother in the back, hard, to get her attention. At the age of 6, she had wet herself rather than get off the sofa, because she hadn't been given a hand up when shouting "I need the toilet". And so forth.

Now? She's growing into a charming, polite, lovable young woman. Still a few odd moments, but no more than usual for her age.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Sat 11 Oct 2008, 0:12, closed)

Ok
Well kudos to you then, it can't be easy feeling like the only sane one of the bunch. Glad to hear things have worked out ok for you guys.
(Holy Gabrielle is Holy, Sun 12 Oct 2008, 2:44, closed)

*clicky*
For finally facing it and dealing with it.
(Nogin the Nog is the good one! Beware Nogbad the Bad!, Tue 14 Oct 2008, 17:23, closed)