Getting to the truth

Sometimes getting the truth out of kids can be a very tiring chore. For example, my 12-year-old daughter (who I lovingly call the Drama Queen, or just D.Q., on my blog as well as in real life) told me on Friday night that she didn’t want to go to her ski and snowboard club on Saturday because she just didn’t like it. I knew that wasn’t the case because she comes back every Saturday night telling me what a great time she had.

Actually, it wasn’t just me she told. The Phone Sex Operator (AKA P.S.O., AKA my girlfriend and no, not really a phone sex operator) was with me and she seemed a bit surprised by the statement as well. I pointed out that the last four Saturdays she told me what a great time she had and we asked her what the real story was.

What we got was a list of the common excuses. I would run them all down but as parents you have them all burned into your mind with a whiny-ass laser. She kept throwing out the bull and it didn’t matter how many times I asked her to stop with the crap and just tell me what the real story was, she just couldn’t come up with the truth.

It came time for her to go to bed and she whined that she just wanted to sleep in and stay home tomorrow. I told her to go to bed and we would discuss it in the morning. The reality is that she was going no matter what. The club is only eight weeks and she told grandma that was what she wanted for Christmas and grandma got it for her.

P.S.O. and I were snuggling up on the couch watching The Hangover and getting some very well deserved time alone when D.Q. came downstairs to tell us that she couldn’t sleep. I already knew that something else was bothering her but now I REALLY knew it. This was not like her to get so stressed out about something and I knew that there was more to the story. I told her to go upstairs and go to sleep and that we would discuss it in the AM.

I woke up on Saturday morning and got her up. She started whining about how she was soooo sick and about how she didn’t want to go and why was I making her? I politely asked her again to just tell me what was really bothering her and that we would figure out what was happening (although she was still going no matter what!) She continued with the yadda-yadda. Imagine that.

I told her that she was going, so hurry up and take the dog outside and come in and get dressed. We were going to stop at the Original Pancake House on my way to work and I was not going to be late.

I work on Saturdays and while she has her snowboard club she goes to work with me until noon, then I drop her off. I work until 5 then pick her back up at 9. On Saturdays when she doesn’t have this, she typically stays home alone all day and that is something that I try and avoid.

It’s amazing what pancakes and sausage will do to get the truth out of a 12-year-old. After we ordered she finally confessed that the reason she didn’t want to go was that she was having a hard time getting up on the board, but once she did, she was doing OK. I reminded her that the lady in charge of the club told me this three weeks ago and that we both suggested she go out in the backyard with her board and practice. Of course, this practicing has yet to happen.

She agreed that the whole thing was really her fault and that she should work on it more. She said that she still didn’t want to go, but at least I now had the truth. We went to work and shortly before noon (in a last ditch effort to stay home) she announced that she had thrown up a bit. I checked and it was about 2 tablespoons and I told her that she was going to have a glass of ginger ale then we were leaving.

The bottom line? At 5:30 PM my cell phone rang and it was D.Q. telling me what a great time she was having and that she was really glad that I made her go. She was hanging out with a couple of her recently made friends and they were having a blast.

“What’s the point of the story?” You ask. Well here it goes: Daddy was right. Again. It cost me $20 at breakfast for the truth and as many times as she said she realized that I was right and that she just needed to practice, I have another $20 that says she won’t do it at all this week. Anyone want to take that bet?

If you want to read more about Drama Queen, Phone Sex Operator and the rest of my crazy life, please check out www.sexandthesingledad.com You can also become a friend on Facebook by visiting me at www/Facebook.com/jrreedradio and you can become a FB Fan of Sex and the Single Dad on the website.