For the past few weeks, since we've gotten back from vacation, my daughter has been getting up late for school. If she does get up on time, she usually spends way too much time getting herself ready. I am constantly yelling for her to hurry up because everyone is going to be late for school and work.

Yesterday, my hubby finally said, "I am fed up!" He called out to her once. Since she continued to ignore the fact that we're trying to rush her, he decided he was going to do something about it.

I had gotten out of the shower and was getting ready for work when I noticed that my hubby and the kids were still here. I yell out of the bathroom, "Do you realize what time it is!?" My hubby said, "Call your daughter to come down." "I want to talk to her." "I yell out, "Dem, come down now, your dad wants to talk to you!"

She comes down the stairs taking her sweet time, without the slightest clue as to the time.

Dad: "Do you realize what time it is?"

Dem: "No."

Dad: "It's 8:15 a.m."

Dem: "What!" My daughter exlaims as she looks up at the clock.

Dad: "Do you know that because of you both you and your brother are late for school?" "How old are you?"

Dem: "I will be 14 in a couple of weeks."

Dad: "You are now old enough to understand the importance of getting up and getting ready for school." "Do you agree?"

Dem: (Nods in agreement.)

Dad: "It is your responsibility, not anyone else's, to get ready on time." "Yes?"

Dem: "Yes."

Dad: "I am tired of having your mom and I continue to yell out to you to hurry up." "Since we've already talked about this and you are already late for school, I am not taking you to school today."

Dem: (I noticed for a second her facial reaction was that of "cool I don't have to go to school today!"). Unfortunately for her, that was not going to be the case.

Dad: "Since you made everyone late for school and work, you are going to stay home and do chores."

Dem: "But"

Dad: "No but's." "You will begin with cleaning out the kitchen." "Once you finish, you will clean up your room, clean the bathroom... and so on and so forth." "Don't even think for a minute you will be sitting down to relax." "Once your chores are done, you will begin studying."

I looked up at the clock and sure enough, I was running late for work! I turned to look at my daughter and noticed that she no longer had a smile on her face, it immediately turned into a frown. By the time her dad finished with the "to do list", she had tears running down her eyes.

I knew there was a lesson to be learned here. I couldn't stay to find out. I quickly rushed out the door and went to work. When I arrived home from work, the house was clean and she was putting some things away that should have been put away a long time ago. She came up to me and gave me a big hug.

Me: "So how was your day?"

Dem: "I've been cleaning and straightening up the house all day." "Ugh!"

Me: "I hope you understand the lesson that your dad is trying to teach you."

Dem: "Yeah, that I don't want to stay home!"

Me: "It's more than that." "It's about the importance of being responsible."

Let's see if she learned her lesson...

This morning she got at 6:45 a.m. and was ready to go on time!