Child Dilemma

by Nikki
(Texas)

My step daughter went through her parents divorcing when she was 3. She is now nearly 11 and lives with her mom out of town. Her BIGGEST complaint is that her mother doesn't spend enough quality time with her, which her mom would disagree. She basically wishes the divorce never happened because she wants to be with them both all the time. Can you blame her?

Anyway, she threw the most horrible fit this weekend and complained once again about the issue with her mother and also the fact that her 1 year younger cousin doesn't treat her well. She basically wants things her way all the time.

We discuss her problems with her and she starts to feel better and we give her different scenarios of kids in a lot worse situations, that just really goes in one ear and out the other.

She has no problem with me, in fact sometimes she wishes I were her mom, in which I don't outdo her own mom. I don't expect a solution, just maybe some advise on how to deal with her outburst better, in which we do punish her but not severely because we know she's just got to work through it.

She is a sweet child and really only acts out after she's held something in that's been bothering her for too long.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your comments.

-Nikki