Burrell, there are no more limits to be set. I don't even know what that would mean in this situation. Her tablet has been impounded and that makes no difference to her behavior. She doesn't have a car, they don't eat out, she doesn't go out with friends. All she does is surf the internet. There's nothing else to do but ground her from the internet and refuse to let her friend come over for the weekend, which her mom has done. Now we're both waiting to see what the kid does in retaliation. She destroys things and then she's very very sorry but nothing changes.

They live way out in the country, on grandma's property, to take care of grandma. (Who is quite healthy, she's just a drunk.) Grandma built them a house where they live rent free, the cost is being grandma's servant. Neither the kid nor my friend really have anything in their lives but work/school, the internet, and taking care of grandma. I think part of the problem is the kid is bored but my friend sees no way out.

It sounds like you've got a good guess there, Zen, with the boredom. There's a reason rural teenagers statistically do more drugs, drinking, and sexing than their urban counterparts. I hope your friend can figure something out.

Juliebird, I think your frustration is valid. What happens if you sit down with your parents (not in the middle of a crisis or a fight) and lay that out for them? It often seems like parents tend to the Troubled Child and the other kid(s) get the shaft.

and it doubly sucks for those that do pick up poop, because you're constantly getting dirty looks for having a dog.

I always feel like I get approving looks for picking up poops. That could just be projection/wishful thinking on my part, though.

I think what she meant is that the non poop pickers make the poop pickers look bad - not that anyone is actively getting dirty looks when we pick up poop.

I remember walking around my gramps old neighborhood and the whole place smelled of dogshit. It took me a bit to realize that it wasn't unpicked-up-poop, but the pear trees.

I think what she meant is that the non poop pickers make the poop pickers look bad - not that anyone is actively getting dirty looks when we pick up poop.

Oh, duh. I totally read that wrong, and wondered what kind of neighborhood SA is living in! Yeah, your way makes MUCH more sense! Kato approves.

Unrelatedly: TWO WEEKS of flossing! In a row!

Apparently all I needed to do was move it to daytime, when I am not tired and extra-lazy. Hello, adulthood.

It often seems like parents tend to the Troubled Child and the other kid(s) get the shaft.

My BFF and I have been known to commiserate over being The Good One(TM).

If it makes you feel any better, Epic, I'm an only kid who got the shaft! :)

I sometimes feel that my role in life is to be dusted and taken off the shelf once in a while to show off, while my older brother, even now facing possible jail time once again, mum finds anecdotes to relate about him with pride about him cooking dinner or helping out around the house.

He's only there because his life is over!

Did I mention that they're going to throw a grand larceny charge at him? Again.

And, yeah, getting the shaft. Sometimes I feel bad about that when I'm dealing with my special needs volunteers. Those who do the job without further prompting or correcting I tend to ignore because I'm constantly on top of the ones with attitudes and difficulties. And they need that attention (the extra troubled ones), but I feel like I'm also neglecting the ones who are doing things right. I make sure to thank them specifically for a job well done, and I'm grateful for them, but I also wish I had the freedom to work alongside them and engage in conversation, because I know they are capable of continuing to work diligently doing so.

Or it's like when I was in the army, and learned quickly that doing your job efficiently and ahead of time meant that you were rewarded, not with a chance to eat your breakfast, but with picking up the slack of everyone else.

Now I'm wondering if it's legal to ship underaged kids off to bootcamp. You have to be over 18 to sign up without your parents permission, surely under 18 they can be signed up with their parents permission and without the childs...

I'm so sorry for the frustrating and difficult situation, Zen.