Growing Up... When does That Happen?

Here at the B house, we are entering an interesting time period. I'm waiting for one of my kids to grow up a little bit. Child X is absolutely wonderful, but honestly, a little behind in the maturity department. Child X believes I exist only to punish and bully, taking all fun away and the only reason I want them around is to make them do things they would rather not do.

Is it possible that Child X is actually a teenager in diguise?

I've considered it. Truly.

The other thing that concerns me is Child X is immature socially. I've had to get brutally honest with Child X and say that people will not want to be around them and will tease them mercilessly if particular behaviors do not cease and desist immediately.

All the while I am saying to myself,"An olive branch takes 20 years to bear fruit. 20 years. Be patient, Melissa."

So what should I do? We've decided to raise the stakes some. Child X is not liking it. It's the first day, so of course there was resistance and grumbling. We've cut out some media that The Hub and I are thinking kind of dumbs Child X down and we're also requiring more in the way of follow through.

Anyone else ever have these issues? Are they age related? Gender related? I await your answers, because I would really like to find them out!

Yours, trying to help Child X any way I know how,

Melissa