Kaia's Rebellion

It is as though she has gone off to college. She is really testing the waters to see what kinds of things she can get away with. I don't think it ever occurred to her that it was possible to "break a rule", until now.  Some of her recent violations include

1. Sneaking a can of diet coke to her room and it behind a book in her bookshelf.

2. Saying the word "Penis" to a kid at school...twice.. for no apparent reason.  Just to see how it felt I suppose.

3. Subtly sassing her teacher Mrs. Hoffman during class. Giving short, attitude-ridden answers, without eye contact.

4.  Calling Gampy "four-eyes" in the car.

After discussing her new behavior changes with Gabby's teachers, who know Kaia and Mrs. Hoffman well, we came to a likely conclusion.  Mrs. Hoffman is a very rigid task master, and a lover of rules...just like Kaia.  I think Kaia has met her match!  She can't believe that someone would be more committed to rules than herself.  Her last two teachers were both much more flexible and touchy-feely.  But, Mrs. Hoffman expects quite a bit from Kaia, and Kaia is not really used to that.  I am partly to blame as well.  I have let her float through life, while being praised for simply "being Kaia", without holding her accountable for things like organization, time-management, and efficiency.  I guess that's what happens when you are the "perfect" firstborn child.