K's been here since Monday and we've got a pretty good routine down this week. She's goes to VBS in the mornings, we usually have one other activity during the day (movie, library, etc.) and she does well playing in her room for 30 minutes at a time or so. We walk the dog together twice a day, eat meals together, and and usually have some other "intensive" time together, if it's playing a board game or working on a craft project. The other night we painted each other's nails and she liked the fact that we matched.

I started the star chart she's already earned one reward. Then this morning she was amazed when she only earned 1 star (out of 5 possible for AM stuff) and I wasn't mad about it and wasn't going to give her a chance to earn more. She knows the deal, she knows what needs to be done by when, and was shocked that I really didn't care one way or the other (or told her I didn't) if she did it or not.

I'm sure she thinks (and I guiltily feel sometimes) that I'm coming across as mean, especially the issues we've been over and over. From the first overnight visits with her, I've been pretty firm on bedtime is bedtime...no more drinks (she has a small waterbottle in her room she's responsible for filling), no more talking, you can have a CD on, but you stay in your bed. Last night she didn't fill her waterbottle (about the 3rd time this has happened) after the reminders I gave her and I heard an hour's worth of "I'm thirsty" "My mouth is dry" "I need a drink." I swear, I think she was watching the clock and yelled every 4 minutes, it was that regular! Well, once it got past 10, I went into my room and went to bed. BIG hysterics that she was scared, my room was dark and creepy, etc, etc. I listened to her fears and very calmly let her know that she had a nightlight in her room because she doesn't like the dark, I don't have one in mine because I do like the dark, and she'd been so concerned about the drink she hadn't fallen asleep and now she'd have to deal with seeing my dark room. Aren't I a mean mom?