Let’s do this together

COMMUNITY CORNER

For Lent, I’ve given up saying: “Are you really going out in that?”

Instead I will engender a feeling of mutual respect with The Dark Lord and together we will discuss options on how to go forward in a meaningful way.

Yes, I’ve been reading a parenting book on how to engage with teenagers. Apparently you don’t point out they look like they’re wearing a sausage skin on top of a pair of chicken legs being squeezed through a net shopping bag when they’re going out the front door.

I wish I’d read it before I’d reacted to The Dark Lord’s half-term shopping outfit, but too late, the words were out of my mouth and before I knew what had happened, she was slamming doors and telling me I’d ruined her life.

Running back upstairs in a blaze of fury, she rushed into her bedroom and hurled the door shut behind her. I could hear every second or third word of the muffled shouts: “…hate…ruined… selfish…blah blah…nothing to wear… hate you…”

And on it went for what felt like quite a long time. I looked down at the dog pretending to be asleep, and wished she would just stay up there.

I was brought back by a sudden change in her tone as I heard her call me.

“Mum. MUM? Have you locked this door?” I could hear her trying to get out of her room.

I ran upstairs but her bedroom door was jammed shut. Little Miss Stroppy had managed to slam it so hard, she’d broken the door fixings and the handle wasn’t working.

I tried very hard not to laugh, but a snigger must have escaped.

“It’s not funny,” she shouted from behind it. “I’m stuck – how do I get out?”

I texted her uncle and asked him to come over and try to open the door when he’d finished work, which was in about four hours.

She wasn’t best amused.

“Four hours?” she huffed, sounding like she’d flung herself on the bed.

We managed to get water and a sandwich up to her room through the window while we waited for help, and in the end, it didn’t take long to unscrew the door handle and let a much-chastened Jesse out.

I probably could have done it myself had I not been enjoying the peace and quiet so much. As they say, be careful what you wish for… Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.