16 Year Old's Attititude

It's perfectly normal for a 16-year-old to be attitudinous. They're at a difficult age - no longer a little kid, not quite an addult, and full of hormones they have no idea how to manage.
If all she's doing is giving you lip or being sulky, I wouldn't worry about it.
My daughter had a mouth on her, but I know she got it from me, and when I had enough, I just shot mine right back at her, reminding her that my attitude was bigger and I had had it longer.
She's now 20, and has grown into the kind of person I would want in my life, even if she wasn't related to me.

I hear ya!!
I do agree spend some quality time with her, even just watching HOUSE or Bones.

When she is rude to hubby, you step in and defend him, and same with him, he needs to step in and defend you.

Look her right in the eye and tell her "that is unacceptable"
Treat her with respect, give her responsibilites.
I go in every night and tell my kids I love you. Sometimes on Saturday or Sunday morning I will just sit on their beds, and just talk about nothing.

And know there are others in the same boat. She has two years left and she is gone.

She is working, keeping her grades up, and helping around the house. Does she have any fun? Do you have fun with her? I find that the more time I spend with my daughter, the less likely she is to freak out. I also find that when Aunt Flo visits, her days are more stressful.
I also try to remember that she is working hard at school all day and just needs a soft place to land at the end of the day. If she gives me attitude or lip, I call her on it. That's usually enough to snap her back to reality.
We just had a weekend at home with me and the kids - my husband was visiting family. We had a lovely relaxing weekend -- they needed it. They didn't want to do anything or go anywhere. They finished up their homework and watched movies. We just hung out.
Spend some time and enjoy your daughter.
LBC

My own mother dropped me off with my grandmother for 3 days when I was 16.

I think some of it is hormonal and being 16. I've noticed that around 16 kids are very black and white - it's all or nothing. Right or wrong. Yes or no. It usually is something they outgrow (my stepson is no longer like that) but it can be hard to take at the time. I had to tell my stepson that I would no longer discuss many topics because he'd gnaw his opinion like a dog with a bone and there was no swaying him, even if he was offensive.

I suggest you pick your battles. Try to foster being a team. And when she's truly a pain in the butt, suggest that she do so in her own room.

Hang in there.

We have a 16 yr old and I know what you are talking about.

We've always had great communication and I try my best to maintain my composure when she is in the devil mood. We do have things that we do together and we keep that routine, even if the mood is off.

All I can say is be as patient as you can be (YES IT IS HARD), she is in between being a teen and responsible adult and a lot of emotions are going on in her head. Like your daughter, mine is in honors classes, excells in school and I know she is already planning her college, etc and she puts a lot of pressure on herself because she is so driven to excel.

Hang in there, we sometimes feel we are hanging by a thread ourselves...

Use a whisper voice when tensions get high. That normally calms YOU down and her. You will get in fewer disagreements when you use a whisper voice. It really does work!

My daughter and I did scrapbooking together, too. That was our activity. She has an album for every year of high school....with her own handwriting and it is a great treasure as it is all from her perspective. We had a lot of FUN doing this together!

Good luck!

www.mycmsite.com/marycluley

A great book that really helped me with my kids was Preparing for Adolesence by Dr James Dobson! What a major help! A very worthy investment. Try a Christian bookstore or online Amazon.

My mother gave my daughter a sign that says:
"Attitude is Everything, Pick a Good One".
We point to it often.

Like when they were babies and toddlers we have to remember:
"This too shall pass."

We also try to remind her in her good moments to:
"Have An Attitude of Gratitude".
It helps.

We like sayings at our house, they help guide us.

Good Luck!

It will change. Be grateful she gets good grades and works. Talk to her about her behavior and how she treats you and speaks to you-talk about "gratitude" not "attitude". Be careful what you wish for-you just might get it- I'm sure some older guy would be willing to even out her disposition with sex, drugs and booze.

Is this connected to her periods? My daughter was like that for years. She had endometrisis almost from her first periods and I had to put her on the Pill 3 months on then off for her period and back on for 3 months. The Pill screwed with her horomones and seemed to make her crazy. Now finally at 24 she found a Pill that doesn't do that to her.
I know the idea of putting your teenaged daughter on the Pill is a hard decision but if she had not gone on the pill she would not have been able to have children. So for me it was a no brainer. At least take her to a female OB/GYN and have her evaluated.