My dearest daughter is 11 now and for her birthday she got a cell phone.  First off, I didn't get it for her (my ex did), and second, I really wish they would not get her those things at all.  She didn't need it, and I didn't want her to have it.  Well, now she got herself into some hot water with it.  She has decided to start cussing in her text messages to some of her friends.  I found out about it and also found out that she has been cussing all summer.  Now I know I don't have the holiest of mouths myself, but I know damn well that a girl her age is not going to be using that language.
She has hit that age where she thinks that she is queen and can not be caught by the law (namely me).  Little does she realize that I am prepared for her.  She knows of my past, but she doesn't understand what that entails.  I don't think she fully grasps what me having the knowledge of what a girl can get into can do about the situation.  Any situation with her that is too.
Now I know what some would say, and they would accuse me of being too hard on her.  Well, they can stop right there about giving me advice.  I am the mom, and what I say goes and not anyone else will change my mind about her punishment.  She has gotten her phone taken away for one month, and she is grounded FROM her room for the month.  Along with that she will be doing extra chores and things.  You might think this is extreme for someone so young, but I can guarantee you that it is not.  The phone is the punishment that fits the crime, the month from her room is so that she can't hide in there away from anyone, and the doing of extra chores is the fact that if she has time to be mad at people, then she time to do the chores she hasn't been doing.
I know that if this child will grow up to be anything like me, then I am really going to be in for it, and I am prepared for that.  I do not punish due to a guilty conscious of my past, I do it in the hopes of fighting the horrible parenting that is over at the other house.  My only hope is that she learns from this and doesn't think that she can pull the wool over my eyes.
Silly girl, she must think she has a stupid mommy.