My hubby has two daughters ages 8 and 10. The 8 year old is a pretty easy going kids but boy let me tell you - the 10 year old is a little whiny brat- I know - it sounds mean but I really believe she says and does things for attention.

I think she enjoys getting yelled at so she can get in moms car after our visits and whine and say how mistreated she is..........Its funny how the acting up begins mostly right before mom picks her up so she leaves crying from our home because she just got yelled at. Last Thursday she left upset because she got yelled at for not being able to find her clothes that belonged to her Mother. She looked and "looked" and looked but low and behold couldnt find them. Finally hubby found them right in plain sight. I know, trivial things but she will then get in Mom's car and say "I dont know why daddy yelled at me." In a quiet little sad voice.

Very smart kid! Let me tell you - she will say things or ask questions about things that she knows are sensitive and will hurt you. She asks my hubby constantly about his adoption (he is so sensitive about it and she has seen him tear up about it) and even wrote under a picture of his adoptive mom at school - this is my grandma - she isnt my dads real mom. She knows that gets him sad especially since she passed away 10 years ago. WTF??? I know kids will be kids but it is so obvious she says things to hurt people or upset them.

There are certain things my hubby doesnt allow the girls to do like have soda. Mom lets them - no big deal - her house thats fine - yet my step daughter will come back ALL them time and rub it in how much soda she has had over the weekend. (btw we have them Monday through Thursdays)Little things like that to get hubby going and watch him get upset. I finally told her - listen we dont want to hear about it so please lets not talk about it - yet she keeps bringing up how she had sodas. Pushing buttons again!

She seems to love negative attention. What do you do about that?? How do you stop this need for pitty on her part. Sometimes it seems like if we are out doing an activity - say its play at the park - she will purposly not be able to do something like the slide because she is "scared" and then cry hysterically. Its obvious she can do the slide cause she had before but then suddenly changes and cries. One time we took them hiking and she REFUSED to climb a very very small hill and went into hysterics and made a scene. We litteraly dragged her to the car. Then a few weeks later we went to a ball game and on the way into the game she wanted to roll down a grassy hill that was more steep - so i said "hey - why isnt that scaring you" She just looked at me like oops ive been caught!

What would you all do? I thought about a therapist but to be honest I feel like she is they type of kids who would EAT that up! I know it sounds mean to say that - and i feel bad saying it but - its how I feel.

Has anyone ever had this problem???