Its true...

A few months ago my eleven year old daughter shouted "The only way to get attention in this house is if your bad"! I immediatly denied her words and even gave her a lecture on being a little selfish and self absorbed.

As time went on that little sentence would not leave my mind. I told myself not to let it get to me. She was just being dramatic. I am a good parent. I always praise my children. I spend time with them. I take them places. I teach them things. God knows I have read a hundred parenting books to keep on top of things. What she said could not possibly be true. Then why was it bugging me so much?

I have five children. Ashley (18) was (and still is) pure hell as a teenager. We went through so much with her. Debra (13) is your typical teenage girl. She'll do it if she can. I just have to make sure she can't. Jessica (the 11 year old we are talking about) has always been the sweetest thing in the world. She does the right thing because she can't stand for someone to get mad at her. Megan (7) is the mouthiest child I have ever met. She is strongwilled and single minded. If she sets her mind to something; then consider it done. Then we have Faith (2). She is our spoiled, funny handful of a baby.

Now just in writing that parpgaraph I have proven Jessicas point. With so many strong agressive personalities swirling around her Jessica is often left out. Now don't get me wrong; I don't forget to feed her or anything. I just sometimes forget that just because she is not screaming for attention she still needs and deserves it.

It is such a hurtful feeling as a parent to know that you have been treating your child unfairly. I am glad (and sad) she finally got mad enough to say something. I know there is nothing I can do to change the past and sitting around feeling guilty is not going to fix anything. I will take this experience and learn from it. I will make sure to spend a little time each day talking to and appreciating her.

From now on I will make sure that being good gets atleast as much attention as being bad....