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1. 

   Wolfdreamer250 said, 2 months ago

   Why is Alix still up? Its 10oclock. She should have been asleep an hour ago. Your slipping VAL.

2. 

   shelleyn said, 2 months ago

   Val should have been standing over Holly, literally watching her do her homework instead of trusting that she’d go off and do it herself. Get a clue Val.

3. 

   J_Verschueren said, 2 months ago

   Whatever happened to doing your homework before dinner?

   That said, I would get to bed at about 10.30pm (getting up at 7.30am) but often read in bed ‘till 1am, so I can’t really take the high ground on Holly.

4. 

   Macushlalondra said, 2 months ago

   Looks like you have to stand over her with a whip if you expect her to do anything.

5. 

   ibholyroller said, 2 months ago

   love stone soup–real life situations. I think basically Val is a hardworking mother who has a good relationship with her daughters. Of course if you are the perfect parent go ahead and throw stones.

6. 

   ibholyroller said, 2 months ago

   I agree that Alix should have been in bed about 8 at least.

7. 

   CindyRutledge said, 2 months ago

   The issue of procrastination, or from Holly’s point of view, necessary preparation, was covered in a hilarious ZITS Sunday cartoon in 2004, when our daughter was still a teenager. The cartoon provided much needed laughter and emotional support while we witnessed this unproductive behavior. Thank God, she has mostly outgrown this stuff in college. Notice, this behavior did not prevent her from getting into and thriving at a top-notch college - Grinnell. So, everyone relax.

8. 

   CindyRutledge said, 2 months ago

   ZITS dialogue:
   Mom: Jeremy? It’s getting pretty late, sweetie.
   Jeremy: Um-hmm.
   Mom: You’ve been at it quite awhile this evening, haven’t you?
   Jeremy: Um-hmmmm.
   Mom: So what’s this big report about?
   Jeremy: I have no idea. I’m still downloading the perfect mix of songs to play while writing a twelve-page paper. With a little luck, I should be able to get started by daybreak.
   Mom to Dad: Pass the antacids.
   Dad: “Regular,” “Extra-Strength,” or “Parent of a Teenager”?

9. 

   fritzoid said, 2 months ago

   If Alix is getting enough sleep and getting her homework done, why should she have to be in bed at 8:00? No harm, no foul.

   Or perhaps she was in her own room, in bed, and heard the argument starting so she came to watch.

   Alix is a good kid, and shouldn’t have to pay the penalty for Holly’s mistakes.

10. 

    shelleyn said, 2 months ago

    ibholy - it’s not about being a perfect parent, no one is. It’s about paying a little more attention to your child and knowing that you’re literally going to have to stand over them if they are going to get their homework done. Holly is not trustworthy, she’s proved that many times so why would Val trust that she was going to do her homework?

11. 

    NoBrandName said, 2 months ago

    Arrgh, somebody’s gonna be walkin’ the plank!

    Holly’s proclivity is pushing her towards becoming a professional procrastinator. She’s perfecting her practice by preparing the perfect playlist, a proactive personal project that prevents the productive work-plan from proceeding. Perhaps Val can employ peer pressure to prevent the problem from progressing; preaching probably won’t provide positive results.

    Never do today that which can be put off until tomorrow, and never put off until tomorrow that which need never be done at all! There is nothing that is so urgent or important that if you put if off long enough doesn’t become completely irrelevant and unnecessary. Maybe tomorrow I’ll post some more popular procrastinator sayings…

12. 

    Catherine Moore said, 2 months ago

    What was Val doing? Come on folks, working, single mother here. She’s getting dinner on the table, cleaning, laundry, dishes, bills, setting up lunches for tomorrow, etc. etc, etc. The LAST thing she needs is to stand with a bullwhip over Holly, however much she needs it. It’s Holly, or the entire rest of her household operation. Let’s cut Val some slack.

    Now Holly…. With hold all privileges! Off with her head!

13. 

    RinaFarina said, 2 months ago

    I’m just wondering - can gramma help out with some disciplining? She did help during the summer - did that end up doing any good?

    Because I don’t know if she considers herself to be too busy, and might feel herself taken advantage of? But surely she would want to help? And she seems to be a much stronger personality than Val - because she’s not trying to do several different things at the same time.

    I agree with you, @CatherineMoore, it’s very hard for Val. One very strong reason why she isn’t giving enough attention to the problem with Holly is that she’s a working mother - she can’t do it!

14. 

    Just plain Steve said, 2 months ago

    @NoBrandName

    As Linus said “there’s no problem so big and complicated it can’t be run away from.”

15. 

    pinkdryad said, 2 months ago

    I see owning a free ipod in Val’s very near future!